Neema Lugangira is a globally recognized leader in digital governance, public policy, food systems, nutrition, and development finance, with over 20 years of experience advancing inclusive digital transformation, democratic governance, health systems, nutrition and food security, and human capital development across Africa and internationally.
She serves as Chair of the African Parliamentary Network on Internet Governance (APNIG), which she founded in 2022 to strengthen parliamentary leadership on Internet governance and digital policy across Africa.
Neema is internationally recognized for her leadership in global digital cooperation, Internet governance, and emerging technology policy. In 2026, she was appointed by the United Nations Secretary General to serve on the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG), having previously served on the MAG in 2023 and 2024. She also serves on the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), representing APNIG in global Internet governance discussions.
She has played a leading role in shaping global and continental digital governance frameworks, including serving as Co-Rapporteur of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Resolution on Artificial Intelligence, and providing expert contributions to the development of the Association of African Election Authorities Guidelines on the Use of Digital Tools and Social Media in Elections in Africa, as well as UNESCO’s Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms. She also initiated the establishment of a permanent High-Level Parliamentary Track within the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum and was appointed a WSIS Gender Trendsetter since 2022.
As a Member of Parliament in Tanzania (2020–2025), Neema championed major digital governance reforms, including advancing data governance, artificial intelligence policy, online safety, digital inclusion, affordable connectivity, and protections against technology-facilitated gender-based violence in elections. She also mobilized strategic international partnerships for Tanzania’s digital transformation agenda, including support for the national school connectivity mapping initiative under UNICEF GIGA. Through her strategic leadership and international engagement initiatives, she successfully facilitated Tanzania’s hosting of major continental and global digital policy platforms, including the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica) 2023 and the Africa WSIS Annual Review Meeting 2024, significantly elevating Tanzania’s visibility and positioning within global digital governance discussions.
Neema is also the Founder of Omuka Hub, a grassroots digital inclusion and governance organization working to bridge the rural digital divide in Tanzania. Under her leadership, Omuka Hub received international recognition, including an award from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), for advancing digital inclusion and digital literacy among older persons and underserved communities. Alongside her other leadership responsibilities, she serves as Strategic Advisor for Africa at Women Political Leaders (WPL), where she leads WPL’s Africa portfolio and flagship initiative, FEM AI Leaders Africa, advancing women’s political leadership and influence in artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and digital policy across the continent.
