Will High Costs Exclude Key Voices From Africa’s Biggest LGBTIQ+ Summit?

Concerns are mounting that the high cost of participation in the upcoming 7th Pan Africa ILGA (PAI) Regional Conference in Johannesburg may shut out important voices from across the continent.

Pan Africa ILGA is the African chapter of ILGA World – the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – a worldwide federation of more than 2,000 LGBTIQ+ organisations.

The event, set for 24 to 28 November, is billed as “the most significant gathering of LGBTIQ+ advocates, activists, and allies across Africa,” intended to “bring together voices from every corner of Africa to advance SOGIE rights and build stronger, more inclusive communities.”

In a period marked by growing, well-funded attacks on LGBTIQ+ rights across the continent and the world, the timing of the conference could not be more urgent.

Yet many activists say the steep registration fees — USD 500 (R8,600) for youth and USD 1,000 (R17,200) for civil society participants, excluding travel and accommodation — have placed the event out of reach.

Funding Cuts Deepen the Crisis

The high registration fee also comes just months after many African LGBTIQ+ organisations were hit by devastating funding cuts sparked by the Trump administration, leaving numerous groups struggling to remain operational. Despite this context, PAI announced on 17 November that it had already reached maximum capacity.

Some leading activists argue that the costs undermine the values of inclusion and representation that the conference aims to champion.

A Zimbabwean advocate said, “PAI’s exorbitant fees are a stark reminder of the disconnect between their inclusive rhetoric and the harsh realities faced by African orgs. It’s unconscionable that they’re pricing out the very voices they claim to want to amplify… We must hold them accountable for this hypocrisy…!”

Others echoed this frustration. A Cape Town activist noted, “Sadly, this has been and continues to be the reality for almost all conferences such as these.” A Durban-based organisation added, “We struggled securing registration fees in the past. This year is worse. Regrettably, we will not attend, again.”

PAI Responds: ‘Fees Cover Only Part of the Real Cost’

Responding to MambaOnline’s questions, Anthony Oluoch, Programmes Manager at Pan Africa ILGA, acknowledged that “registration fees are a barrier for some.”

He explained that a five-day, multi-track conference for around 450 delegates involves interpretation in multiple languages, sign-language services, accessibility measures, safeguarding, trained security, medical support, and a venue large enough to host several parallel sessions.

“Registration fees cover only part of the real cost, the rest comes from grants and sponsorships,” he said.

PAI says it attempted to widen access through a scholarship process. “We received over 1000 registrations for scholarships… We are only able to give just over 210 full scholarships… We prioritised under-resourced organisations, youth, trans and intersex individuals, people with disabilities, and delegates from hostile legal contexts,” Oluoch told MambaOnline.

He added that the claim that no South African applicants received support is “not accurate,” saying 42 Southern African individuals, including South Africans, were funded.

A Debate That Won’t End with the Conference

It’s worth noting that the recent three-day African Investigative Journalism Conference in Johannesburg — which also hosted hundreds of participants from across the continent, with translation services and several concurrent sessions — charged a standard registration fee of R4,300.

It’s of course impossible to directly compare the two events at this stage, but it does suggest that a more modestly budgeted conference, one that takes African economic realities into account, could well be achievable.

While PAI insists it “takes the concern seriously” and will publish an anonymised participation snapshot after the event, critics remain worried that the high price tag risks sidelining precisely those most affected by the issues under discussion.

The tension between financial sustainability and meaningful continental representation continues to spark debate — one likely to follow the conference after the final session ends.