Forum To Accelerate Investment In Digital Health

All is set for the 2025 edition of the Insights Learning Forum (ILF), an annual flagship event in digital health which brings together experts, policymakers, and innovators to explore the role of digital technology in strengthening healthcare systems across Africa.

The forum provides a dynamic platform for digital and public health professionals to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and explore innovative digital health applications for impactful public health implementation.

This year‘s marks the third edition of the forum, with the theme: “Local Investments for Connected Communities: The Power of Digital Health Networks in Public Health Transformation.”

The theme is timely and vital, as it brings together leaders from both public and private sectors to highlight the urgent need for increased local investment in digital health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

It underscores the importance of sustaining digital health solutions responsive to community needs.
Experience has shown that digital health initiatives often struggle to gain traction or deliver long-term value without local investment. These investments must go beyond financial commitments and include infrastructure development, human capital, and culturally appropriate implementation strategies.

Speaking ahead of the event, which will take place on July 30, 2025, in Abuja, Ota Akhigbe, director of partnerships and programs at eHealth Africa, emphasised the depth of investment needed to unlock the potential of digital health across the continent.

“Despite the growing momentum around digital health in Africa, the promise won’t be realised without deeper investment not just in tools, but in the systems that support and sustain them,” she said.

Ota explained, “Local investment means funding, but also something deeper: policy ownership, institutional strengthening, talent development, and public trust.” She noted that many digital health solutions are often well-designed in theory but disconnected from real-world conditions:

“Too often, these tools are slick in presentation but clunky in practice. They fail to account for limited infrastructure, low digital literacy, cultural nuance, and the overstretched capacity of frontline workers. Even the most elegant platform can become irrelevant or unusable under these conditions.”

Ota also decried the fragmented nature of digital health implementations across the continent, saying, “Digital health in Africa often reflects good intentions but poor execution. Tools are imported, not adapted. This, according to her, is why local investment is critical. She reiterated , “When countries and communities have a stake in the systems being built, they are more likely to shape them in relevant, inclusive, and enduring ways.”

This third edition of ILF, hosted by eHealth Africa Group and other key partners, will feature an engaging lineup of discussions, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities. The forum will foster meaningful collaboration and drive real-world impact, especially in strengthening local investment in public health innovation through digital technology.

Since its launch in 2023, the Insights Learning Forum has evolved into a premier space for sharing real solutions, forging strategic partnerships, and turning bold ideas into tangible outcomes. This year’s event is expected to be even more impactful, with case studies, keynote addresses, and workshops showcasing how local talent, financing, and infrastructure are already reshaping African health systems.