This year’s Association of Language Companies in Africa (ALCA)’s Annual Conference took place in Cape Town, South Africa, at The Cullinan Hotel on August 28th and 29th, with an additional workshop day on the 30th. Against the backdrop of Table Mountain, the event brought together industry leaders, linguists, academics, and technology providers to explore the theme, “Navigating the Global Market: Africa’s Role in the Language Services Industry.”
The choice of Cape Town as conference host was symbolic and practical. As one of Africa’s most connected cities, it served as the perfect venue to highlight how African language service providers (LSPs) are stepping onto the global stage with confidence and ambition.
The event was supported by RWS Group, Translated, Bolingo Consult, Folio Online, the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA), Acorn West Growth Strategies, Kabod Group, Tamarind Language Services, and Logrus Global’s Catmint platform. Media partners MultiLingual Media, Slator, and ProZ.com amplified the conversation globally.
Highlights From Day 1
The first day opened with Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, who welcomed delegates and underlined language as an economic driver. Renato Beninatto delivered the keynote, offering a global perspective on growth, resilience, and innovation.
The ALCA Excellence Awards, sponsored by GALA and Bolingo Consult, were presented by Jose Palomares, Chair of GALA’s Board. The awards celebrated the following outstanding contributions:
- Outstanding Contribution to African Languages: Nkanda
- Language Access and Inclusion Award: Lelapa AI
- Rising Star Award: African Languages Lab
A panel on the ALCA 2025 Research Survey — moderated by Johan Botha with contributions from Christian Elongue, Ady Namaran Coulibaly, and Oumi K. Elkindiy-Ferguson — provided a first continent-wide snapshot of the African localization industry. Afternoon sessions explored topics like artificial intelligence (AI), language technology, associations, and adaptability, with insights from Kirti Vashee, Sheriff Issaka, Charl van Heerden, Grant Bridgman, Johan Botha, Charles Campbell, Paola Andrea Diaz Uribe, and Sophie Solomon.
Highlights From Day 2
The second day began with Dr. Laura Gonzales on the rhetorics and technologies of translation. Helga Walker spoke on partnerships for global market entry, while Johan Botha’s talk, “Leapfrogging the Legacy,” argued that African professionals can bypass outdated workflows and embrace Industry 5.0.
Further sessions included a Trados workshop with Edwin de Klerk, insights from Salomé van Niekerk on quality and professional review, Matthias Kavuttih on East Africa’s linguistic opportunities, Luke Liebzie on due diligence in official translations, Brenda Baquerizo Lopez on mentoring and AI, and Louise Callcott-Stevens on mother tongue content for children’s television.
Saturday Workshop
On Saturday, Renato Beninatto led “Reframing and Thinking Differently: Growing Against All Odds.” The workshop gave attendees practical tools to reframe challenges like pricing and client acquisition into opportunities, leaving them energized and optimistic.
Conclusion
The ALCA 2025 conference confirmed that Africa’s language industry is not waiting to be invited into the global conversation — it is already here, driving innovation, setting new standards, and claiming its place as an essential player in the localization ecosystem.
