In an era defined by customer-centric innovation and intelligent transformation, CEM Africa 2025 emerged as a landmark summit for CX excellence across the continent. Held at the Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town, this year’s 13th edition of the summit welcomed over 1,100 professionals from 17 countries, reinforcing its role as Africa’s most influential platform for customer experience leadership.
Spanning three days of high-impact dialogue, CEM Africa brought together a diverse and senior audience of CX leaders ranging from C-suite executives and managing directors to founders, department heads, and senior strategists to engage on what’s next for customer engagement across sectors. From public service transformation and digital trust to the rise of generative AI and intelligent automation, the conversations weren’t just timely, they were actionable.
"CEM Africa is a brand built on the power of customer experience to drive meaningful change. Through market news, expert knowledge, and a series of digital offerings and in-person events across the continent, we bring together innovation, collaboration, and action to shape the future of CX. Guided by our commitment to ‘Excellence in Every Experience,’ we are dedicated to advancing customer engagement and empowering organisations to deliver exceptional value to their customers.", said Terry Southam, Retail Director at Vuka Group and co-founder of CEM Africa.
A platform for innovation and influence
This year’s summit saw participation from 206 companies, highlighting the growing appetite for CX transformation across banking, telecoms, retail, healthcare, energy, and government. The summit’s agenda was built around bold keynotes, executive panels, and focused workshops that tackled critical issues from employee engagement and personalisation to tech stack optimisation and CX ROI.
At the heart of the summit was the Solutions Showcase floor, where 25 sponsors powered conversations around the future of experience delivery. Leading the charge was NICE Technologies, returning as lead sponsor for the fourth consecutive year, with cutting-edge solutions around AI orchestration and customer journey analytics. Diamond sponsors Cisco, Huawei, and CX experts each brought thought leadership and live demonstrations that underpinned their ongoing commitment to driving transformation in the African CX ecosystem.
Together, these partners helped anchor a programme that didn’t just theorise the future but demonstrated it.
Experience-driven connections
Beyond the boardroom, the event's Experience Connect format delivered curated networking opportunities from the CEM Padel Tournament to boutique Six Dogs Gin and Honest Chocolate tastings. Evening events like Drinks & Dialogues at Gusto and The Evening Exchange offered space for candid conversations and strategic partnerships to take shape.
The summit closed with the powerful Women in CX Africa programme, a celebration of bold leadership and inclusive innovation, underscoring the summit’s commitment to diverse voices in decision-making.
What’s next: CEM expands its footprint
With the momentum of Cape Town still echoing, the CEM Africa brand is expanding. The next stop: CEM Johannesburg edition, landing on 20 November 2025, at the NH Hotel in Sandton, paired with the prestigious Customer Experience Africa Awards (CXA), a showcase of the continent’s most impactful leaders and initiatives.
And that’s just the beginning. With workshops heading to Rwanda on 12 September and regional growth into Kenya in 2026, the brand’s reach is widening, grounded in the partnerships and community built at CEM Africa 2025.
"We’re thrilled to see CEM Africa expand across the continent, uniting CX leaders to drive innovation and collaboration. The Rwanda Edition on 12 September 2025 marks a pivotal step in shaping the future of customer experience in Africa." – Terry Southam, retail director at Vuka Group and co-founder of CEM Africa.
To find out more about the CEM Johannesburg edition and the various roadshows visit: CEM Africa
About CEM Africa
CEM Africa is the continent’s leading platform for customer experience professionals, connecting executives, tech innovators, and decision-makers to explore the strategies and solutions transforming customer engagement in Africa.
