SITEC 2025 returns bigger and bolder
From 9 to 12 November 2025, Brazzaville’s lively exposition grounds will pulse with laptops, prototypes and enthusiastic pitches as the second Salon of Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship in Congo, better known as SITEC, opens its doors again to young people determined to shape the nation’s digital future.
Organised by the socially minded BantuHub Foundation, the four-day event carries the rallying theme “Valuing Youth Potential to Build a Future Economy”, a slogan that mirrors government ambitions to diversify revenues beyond oil and place Congolese talent at the centre of Africa’s fast-moving tech scene.
Skills bootcamp: AI, marketing, business plans
Back in 2023 the inaugural SITEC attracted more than 2,800 visitors, a turnout hailed by local press (Les Dépêches de Brazzaville, 15/11/2023) as proof that home-grown innovation can mobilise crowds as well as any football match. Organisers say the momentum has only grown during two years of preparation.
This year more than 600 students and early-stage founders will benefit from entirely free practical workshops covering artificial intelligence, business creation, digital marketing and project structuring. Trainers come from local incubators, universities and regional companies such as MTN Congo, according to the foundation’s programme draft shared with journalists.
“Skills are the real capital,” insists BantuHub president Christelle Mabiala, who emphasises that the sessions include personalised coaching on funding strategies and intellectual property. Participants leave with a deliverable prototype or business canvas, a tangible asset they can present to banks and micro-finance institutions for the next step.
Investors, officials and youth share one stage
Alongside training, two full conference days will allow developers to pitch innovations ranging from agri-drones to fintech apps before panels of investors, ministers and multinationals. The format deliberately mixes generations, so seasoned CEOs discuss challenges face-to-face with school pupils who code after class in Makelekele.
Past jurors such as telecom executive Rodrigue Mouyeke remember being “surprised by the freshness of ideas and the social focus of solutions”. He notes that warehouses cooled by solar energy and low-cost mapping platforms emerged from the first edition and are now raising seed capital with local partners.
Government support remains visible. The Ministry of Youth and Sports has renewed its patronage, and aides confirm that Minister Hugues Ngouelondélé will tour stands on opening day to hear pitches. Officials say the initiative aligns with the National Development Plan, which rates digital entrepreneurship as a growth pillar.
Economists observing Brazzaville’s start-up scene argue that face-to-face networking still beats virtual webinars in building trust. “Investors like to look founders in the eye,” explains Université Marien-Ngouabi lecturer Guy Mamba. He predicts a flurry of memorandum signings during SITEC, especially in agritech where import substitution remains a national priority.
Impact Village and high-tech showcases
A new addition this edition is the Impact Village, a zone reserved for projects tackling climate adaptation, affordable health diagnostics or inclusive education. BantuHub’s programme lead Aïcha Eba says the corner will show that profit and purpose can reinforce each other, echoing sustainable development conversations heard across Central Africa.
Financing for the salon itself comes from a blend of sponsorships, stand rentals and a modest public grant. Event coordinator Jean-Bruno Kimbembe reveals that companies have already booked 80 percent of exhibition space, lured by the prospect of early visibility among developers who may become tomorrow’s suppliers or customers.
Mobile operators are preparing to demonstrate 5G prototypes, while the Congolese Space Agency plans a booth on satellite data for agriculture, according to an internal schedule seen by this newspaper. Live demos aim to spark curiosity among high school groups arriving by bus from Makekélé, Talangaï and other districts.
Practical details: access, safety, next steps
Security measures have also been upgraded. Organisers confirm collaboration with the Congolese Red Cross, fire brigade and police for crowd management, while a cashless registration system should reduce queues. The approach echoes lessons learned during the African Games fan zones, where digital tickets improved flow and comfort.
Beyond Brazzaville, several regional hubs will stream keynotes on Facebook Live and local radio, giving young people in Pointe-Noire, Dolisie and Ouesso a window into proceedings. BantuHub wants SITEC to spark a nationwide conversation, not an exclusive capital-city showcase, says communication officer Marina Okemba.
What can attendees do now? Pre-registration opened this week on the official SITEC app, which also lists accommodation deals negotiated with nearby hotels. Early birds secure priority seating for masterclasses that traditionally fill within hours. Students showing a valid card enter free, a gesture praised by youth associations.
With 2025 still months away, the organisers promise regular sneak peeks of speakers and contests to maintain excitement. For many observers, the real test will come after the lights dim, when fresh graduates attempt to turn hackathon ideas into registered companies that create jobs at home rather than abroad.
