ADSC2026: African Data Science Conference University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg, South Africa, June 24-26, 2026

ADSC2026: African Data Science Conference is a flagship continental forum dedicated to advancing research, innovation, and practice in data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analytics, with a strong emphasis on African contexts, challenges, and opportunities.

Hosted by the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), Johannesburg, from 24 to 26 June 2026, ADSC2026 brings together researchers, industry practitioners, policymakers, and postgraduate scholars from across Africa and beyond. The conference aims to foster high-quality scientific exchange, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and bridge the gap between theory, application, and policy in data-driven decision-making.

ADSC2026 provides a platform for:

• Presenting cutting-edge research in data science and AI

• Showcasing industry applications and case studies relevant to African economies

• Engaging in dialogue on responsible, ethical, and inclusive data science

• Strengthening Africa’s data science research ecosystem and capacity

The conference welcomes contributions that are theoretical, methodological, applied, or interdisciplinary, and that address both global advances and Africa-specific data science challenges.

Submission Guidelines

All submissions to ADSC2026 must present original research that has not been previously published and is not under review at another conference or journal.

The conference welcomes submissions in the following categories:

Full Papers

Full papers should describe completed, high-quality research with clear contributions to theory, methodology, or application. Submissions should demonstrate technical soundness, originality, and relevance to the conference themes. Accepted full papers will be presented orally during the conference.

Short Papers / Extended Abstracts

Short papers or extended abstracts should describe ongoing work, novel ideas, preliminary results, or focused studies that are of interest to the data science community. These submissions may be selected for short oral presentations or poster sessions.

Posters

Poster submissions are intended for early-stage research, student work, applied case studies, or exploratory ideas. Posters provide an opportunity for interactive discussion and feedback.

Committees

Program Committee

• Dr Farai Mlambo (Wits University)
• Dr Taariq Surtee (Wits University)

Organizing committee

• Dr Taariq Surtee (Wits University)
• Dr Farai Mlambo (Wits University)

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to farai.mlambo@wits.ac.za and taariq.surtee@wits.ac.za