Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a Pan-African social enterprise advancing digital rights and inclusion, has announced that the 14th edition of its annual Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF27) will take place in Lagos, Nigeria, from April 13 to 15, 2027, and has issued a call for session proposals from interested stakeholders.
The 2027 edition of the forum will be held under the theme, “Reimagining Agency, Rights and Inclusion in the Digital Age,” with organisers inviting digital rights advocates, policymakers, researchers, technologists, civil society organisations, media practitioners, academics, innovators, and other stakeholders to contribute to the forum’s programme.
PIN is calling on interested stakeholders to submit proposals for sessions to be included in the DRIF27 programme. The organization is seeking contributions from a broad range of actors in the digital ecosystem, including policymakers, researchers, technologists, civil society organisations, media organisations, academics, innovators, and digital rights advocates.
Session proposals are to be submitted through the DRIF portal, with the deadline set for October 18, 2026.
The forum organisers said the call for session proposals is intended to enable stakeholders to help shape the agenda for the 2027 edition of DRIF.
According to an announcement signed by Ms Bridgette Ndlovu, Paradigm Initiative’s Partnerships and Engagements Officer, the call is intended to enable stakeholders to contribute ideas and discussions that engage with the central theme of the forum and address emerging issues affecting digital rights and inclusion.
The organisers have identified 10 sub-themes around which session proposals may be developed, and they include digital identity, trust and accountability, data protection and privacy, cyber governance, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, digital inclusion and marginalised groups, digital public infrastructure, digital transformation towards the Sustainable Development Goals, children’s rights online, and information integrity and democracy.
Now in its 14th year, DRIF provides a platform for stakeholders, innovators, policymakers, government representatives, legislators, civil society, non-governmental organisations, academia, the technical community, the media, and the private sector to exchange ideas, showcase impactful solutions, and drive meaningful change and progress in digital rights and inclusion.
Every year since 2013, Paradigm Initiative has worked with partners to bring together representatives from government, non-governmental organisations, academia, media, funding partners, the United Nations, the technical community, and the private sector within the digital ecosystem.
The event seeks to foster collaboration across sectors, encouraging input from relevant stakeholders.
Formerly known as the Internet Freedom Forum (IFF), 13 editions of the Forum have been held since 2013, with the 2027 event planned for Lagos being the 14th Edition.
According to PIN, “DRIF has grown significantly over the years, evolving into a premier platform for dialogue on digital policy, rights, and inclusion, accommodating views and opinions from civil society, technology companies, government, academia, and other stakeholders.”
