By Sunday Oyinloye
The International Customer Service Summit 2026 (ICUSS 2026) will focus on the growing disconnect between rising investments in digital technologies and declining customer trust and employee engagement across African organisations, the CEO, Customer Service Africa, Priscilla Wellington has said.
In a press release issued by Wellington, the fifth edition of the summit, which will hold in Accra, Ghana, in September, 2026 is positioned as Africa’s premier executive forum on customer experience, ethical technology and trust-based growth.
Priscilla Wellington noted that while digital acceleration continues across sectors, sustainable growth is increasingly determined by leadership behaviour, organisational culture and trust, rather than technology deployment alone.
She stated that ICUSS 2026 is designed to help organisations close the gap between technology adoption and customer confidence by promoting leadership mindsets that convert innovation into trust-driven growth.
The summit is expected to convene Chief Executive Officers, board members, general managers, public office holders, policymakers and senior leaders from sectors including banking, insurance, telecommunications, government, hospitality, healthcare, transportation, technology, mining, manufacturing and retail across African nations.
According to the statement, ICUSS has, over four editions, helped elevate customer experience from an operational issue to a strategic boardroom priority across the continent.
A consistent outcome of the summit, Wellington said, is the recognition that lasting customer experience is a leadership responsibility and not merely a function of systems or digital tools.
The 2026 edition will hold under the theme, “Beyond Technology: Why Culture and Attitude Decide AI ROI,” which Wellington described as a boardroom wake-up call on customer experience, leadership accountability and returns on artificial intelligence investments.
She further revealed that the fifth anniversary edition of ICUSS will feature a two-phase executive engagement model aimed at delivering measurable leadership impact, moving beyond the traditional conference format.
Wellington added that as Africa continues to embrace artificial intelligence and advanced digital solutions, organisations that align technology with culture, ethical leadership and trust are more likely to achieve long-term growth and relevance.
