The inaugural Maker Faire Africa 2009 took place in Accra, Ghana.
It was the first Pan-African event to highlight the creativity and ingenuity of makers across the continent. Consisting of hardware hackers, robotocists, designers, artists, engineers and inventors, amongst others, Maker Faire Africa 2009 broke new ground on the methods needed to nurture innovation. In the minds of participants, it highlighted the importance of invention as an endeavor in itself.

The event consisted of displays, performances and interactive activities.
Workshops, such as one held by Afrobotics, emphasized the significance of
goal-oriented hands-on interaction. Prototypes from the International Development Design Summit2009 where presented to public attendees that where not the typical.To further and foster the importance of innovation, the GO Ingenuity Award (GIA) was launched at the event. MFA 2009 validated what its organizers had posited; that Africa had a untapped seam of practical doers that could hold their own against their contemporaries across the world.

Organizing Team 2009

Emeka Okafor
Blog: Timbuktu Chronicles
Principal Makeda Fund
Director TED Africa

Erik Hersman
Blog: WhiteAfrican
Founder AfriGadget,
Co-founder Ushahidi

Lars Hasselblad Torres
Director MIT IDEAS Competition

Mark Grimes
Founder Ned.com
Founder NedSpace
Co-founder Better World Media Network

Nii Simmonds
Blog: Nubian Cheetah

Emer Beamer
R&D Director Butterfly Works
Co-founder Butterfly Works
Co-founder NairoBits

Henry Barnor
Co-founder GhanaThink

Public Relations:
Erica Lee
Strategic Lee