Open Access Africa 2012 will be hosted by BioMed Central, in partnership with Computer Aid International, the 4-5 November 2012 at the University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. The conference will feature open access expertise from the University of Cape Town, the rest of Africa and beyond. The themes reflect the need for a clear message about what open access is, the importance of sustainable funding for African journals, and the complementary roles of capacity building in research and journal publishing.