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Africa urged to turn WSIS+20 commitments into measurable digital progress

African policymakers, civil society leaders, academics, and technology experts used a WSIS Forum 2026 session to argue that the continent already has the strategies needed for digital transformation but now faces a more pressing challenge: implementation. Organised by the Africa ICT Alliance (AFICTA) and Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the discussion focused on how the WSIS+20 outcome document can help translate global digital commitments into practical action across Africa.

Speakers repeatedly stressed that digital transformation requires more than policy declarations. They called for coordinated investment, stronger digital infrastructure, measurable outcomes, and greater collaboration among governments, the private sector, academia, and civil society. Throughout the session, participants returned to a common message that Africa’s digital future will depend not on adopting more strategies, but on delivering tangible results.

From commitments to implementation

Afework Temtime, of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), argued that Africa does not suffer from a lack of digital frameworks, but from the absence of coordinated implementation.

‘Africa needs an implementation roadmap, not another declaration,’ he said while presenting UNECA’s Africa 2035 Digital Implementation Roadmap, which translates the WSIS+20 outcome document into nine thematic pillars tailored to the continent’s priorities.

The roadmap identifies major obstacles to digital transformation, including limited connectivity, financing shortages, digital skills gaps, weak regulatory harmonisation, data governance challenges, and insufficient institutional coordination. It also proposes policy actions to address these issues while aligning national efforts with broader initiatives such as the Global Digital Compact and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Temtime also emphasised that implementation requires accountability. UNECA has proposed a set of 15 priority indicators, along with a unified reporting template, to help African countries measure progress consistently and reduce overlapping reporting obligations.

‘Measurement is the bridge between political commitments and delivery,’ he said, arguing that comparable data will enable governments to identify gaps, learn from one another, and adjust policies more effectively.

Nigeria highlights national reforms

Representing NITDA, Acting Director-General Dr Dimie Shively Wariowei outlined Nigeria’s efforts to implement the WSIS+20 agenda through national reforms and capacity-building initiatives.

He noted that the ICT sector now contributes between 13% and 14% of Nigeria’s GDP and highlighted several recent initiatives, including reforms to the National Identity Management Act, broader digital government reforms, and the 3 Million Technical Talents (3MTT) programme, which aims to train three million people in emerging digital technologies by 2027.

Wariowei also pointed to Nigeria’s leadership role in the Digital Economy Accelerator Programme (DEAP), which seeks to coordinate digital transformation efforts across Africa through regional cooperation.

Despite this progress, he acknowledged that many countries continue to face persistent challenges, including infrastructure deficits, financing gaps, unequal digital access, gender disparities, and limited digital literacy.

Measuring outcomes instead of activity

One of the strongest recurring themes was the need to shift from measuring activities to measuring impact.

Christiana Onoja, co-founder and CEO of SheCode.ai, argued that Africa has no shortage of digital ambition, but lacks three critical ingredients: accessible computing infrastructure, locally developed AI, and reliable measurement of progress.

She highlighted the scale of the continent’s infrastructure gap, noting that Africa hosts only 0.6% of global data centre capacity and roughly 0.2% of global AI computing resources, leaving researchers waiting days to access computing resources that are available within minutes elsewhere.

‘This is not just an infrastructure problem,’ she argued. ‘It is a question of power.’

Onoja also warned that language inclusion remains a major challenge. Although Africa is home to more than 2,000 languages, only a small fraction are meaningfully represented in today’s leading AI models.

‘When AI enters hospitals, schools and public services, this becomes a question of trust, inclusion and safety,’ she said, calling for greater investment in African-language AI models alongside sovereign computing infrastructure.

To strengthen accountability, Onoja proposed creating a WSIS Implementation Maturity Index covering all 11 WSIS Action Lines, allowing governments to measure outcomes rather than simply counting workshops, policies, or declarations.

Digital inclusion must reach underserved communities

Civil society representatives argued that digital transformation will remain incomplete unless it addresses structural inequalities, particularly those faced by women and rural communities.

Martha Alade, President of Women in Technology in Nigeria (WITIN), said her organisation has reached more than 1.25 million beneficiaries through community-based STEM education programmes across Nigeria, including conflict-affected regions.

However, she stressed that digital inclusion requires more than training.

‘No amount of training can compensate for exclusion from foundational digital infrastructure,’ she said, calling for greater access to digital identity systems, affordable internet connectivity, financial services, and coordinated partnerships across sectors.

Alade also argued that education systems should place greater emphasis on problem-solving rather than memorisation and urged governments to collect disaggregated data capable of measuring genuine transformation rather than simply recording participation.

Evangeline Iwenjiora of the Ivyline Care Foundation echoed these concerns, emphasising that women in rural communities remain excluded by poor connectivity and unreliable electricity.

She argued that educating women creates benefits that extend throughout families and communities, making inclusive digital literacy programmes a key investment for long-term development.

Universities need stronger industry links

Professor Abayomi Jegede highlighted progress within Nigeria’s higher education sector, including curriculum reforms that have expanded specialised programmes in AI, cybersecurity, data science, and related disciplines.

Yet he warned that universities continue to face significant barriers.

Many institutions still lack access to advanced computing infrastructure such as GPUs, academic staff often possess strong theoretical knowledge but limited practical experience, and collaboration between universities and industry remains insufficient.

Jegede also identified brain drain as a major challenge, with many of Africa’s most talented graduates and researchers leaving for opportunities abroad.

He called for stronger partnerships between universities and industry, including practical placements that would allow academics to gain hands-on experience before returning to teach students.

Collaboration as the path forward

Despite highlighting numerous challenges, speakers remained optimistic that Africa possesses the foundations needed to accelerate digital transformation.

Rather than calling for new strategies, participants consistently argued that success will depend on stronger implementation, better measurement, sustained investment, and genuine multistakeholder cooperation.

The session concluded with broad agreement that governments, technical experts, businesses, civil society organisations, and academic institutions must align their efforts around common priorities if the ambitions of the WSIS+20 outcome document are to translate into real improvements in connectivity, digital inclusion, AI capacity, and economic development across the continent.

Track all key moments from the WSIS Forum 2026 on our dedicated WSIS page.

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African leaders push for homegrown AI and value creation at WSIS Forum

African experts and industry leaders used the WSIS Forum 2026 to argue that the continent must move beyond digital inclusion towards digital sovereignty, calling for greater investment in industrial capacity, locally developed AI, and value creation from Africa’s own resources and data rather than continued dependence on foreign technologies.

The session, ‘From Digital Inclusion to Digital Sovereignty: Building Capacity, Infrastructure, and Governance for Sustainable Digital Transformation,’ explored how Africa can become not only a user of AI and Industry 4.0 technologies, but also a producer of digital value. Moderated by Adelina Zeqiri of the University of Côte d’Azur, the discussion featured Professor Sama Mbang, Jean Bosco Byiringoro, and Professor Adel Ben Youssef, all founding members of the Alliance for Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing in Africa (ASMA).

Industrialisation remains the foundation of development

Opening the discussion, Professor Sama Mbang argued that Africa risks falling further behind unless it accelerates industrialisation alongside digital transformation.

Drawing on his experience implementing Industry 4.0 solutions in manufacturing, Mbang stressed that industrial development remains the common denominator among prosperous economies.

‘There is no developed country that is not industrialised,’ he argued, adding that industrialisation creates the skills, technology, and productive capacity needed for long-term prosperity.

Mbang introduced ASMA as a platform designed to connect governments, industry, academia, and technical experts around practical projects in smart manufacturing, health, mining, automotive production, agriculture, and digital technologies.

He also highlighted the continent’s long-standing imbalance in global value chains. Although Africa possesses around 68% of the world’s critical minerals, it captures less than 1% of the value added from their processing. Similar disparities exist in pharmaceuticals, where Africa exports raw materials while importing most finished medicines.

According to Mbang, AI should support industrialisation, not replace it.

‘Sometimes talking about AI shifts attention away from the real challenge,’ he observed. ‘Africa first needs the capability to manufacture and transform locally.’

Building African AI for African realities

The discussion repeatedly returned to the distinction between adopting AI and developing AI that reflects African contexts.

Jean Bosco Byiringoro, professor of mechatronics and founder of ASMA, argued that importing models developed elsewhere will not solve Africa’s development challenges because they are built for different industrial environments.

‘What we need is not to import the model,’ he said. ‘We need to build our own model in the African context.’

Byiringoro argued that human capital is the continent’s greatest priority. Rather than focusing solely on software, African countries need engineers, technicians, manufacturers, and researchers capable of building AI systems rooted in local industries and value chains.

He illustrated this through agricultural projects that use digital representations of industrial equipment to help farmers understand production processes and develop new business opportunities. His organisation has already helped more than 2,000 people move into industrial employment through such initiatives.

Africa’s resources create new opportunities

Professor Adel Ben Youssef challenged participants to avoid viewing Africa as a single market, reminding the audience that the continent comprises 54 countries with diverse economic realities.

He nevertheless identified several shared competitive advantages.

Africa’s rapidly growing population, abundant renewable energy resources, and what he described as a ‘last mover advantage’ could allow countries to leapfrog older industrial models and build more sustainable digital infrastructure.

Rather than remaining dependent on foreign data centres, Ben Youssef argued that Africa could become a global location for digital infrastructure powered by renewable energy.

‘The real obstacle is not energy,’ he said. ‘It is political stability.’

He also warned that Africa’s creative industries face a growing threat as cultural content, artistic works, and local knowledge are increasingly used to train AI models without consent or compensation.

‘Most African creative content is being scraped to train AI models,’ he noted, arguing that this represents both an economic and cultural sovereignty challenge.

Human capital before regulation

Audience questions turned to data governance, with participants asking whether Africa should pursue GDPR-style regulation to protect its growing digital economy.

The panellists urged caution.

Ben Youssef argued that simply copying Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation would ignore Africa’s very different economic realities, particularly the importance of informal economies.

Instead, he called for flexible, sector-specific governance frameworks adapted to local contexts and accompanied by fair mechanisms for sharing the economic value generated from African data.

Mbang went further, arguing that the continent’s immediate priority should be creating value rather than replicating regulatory frameworks developed elsewhere.

‘Our fight today is not GDPR,’ he said. ‘Our fight is creating value locally instead of exporting raw materials and importing finished products.’

Byiringoro agreed, insisting that strong regulation can only emerge once countries have developed the human capital and industrial capabilities worth protecting.

Digital sovereignty through collaboration

The discussion concluded with an invitation to governments, universities, businesses, and international organisations to participate in ASMA’s growing network, including its inaugural conference in Dakar later this year.

While the session focused on Africa, speakers stressed that digital sovereignty should not be viewed as economic isolation or geopolitical competition.

Instead, they argued that enabling Africa to capture more value from its own resources, industries, and knowledge would strengthen global prosperity rather than diminish it.

Across the discussion, a consistent message emerged: AI alone will not transform Africa unless it is accompanied by investment in manufacturing, skills, infrastructure, and local innovation. For the panellists, digital sovereignty begins not with owning algorithms, but with building the industrial and human foundations that allow countries to shape their own digital future.

Track all key moments from the WSIS Forum 2026 on our dedicated WSIS page.

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WSIS session calls for meaningful connectivity as AI and e-governance expand

Speakers at the WSIS Forum 2026 warned that AI strategies, digital identity systems and e-government services are advancing faster than meaningful connectivity in many parts of Africa and the wider Global South, leaving rural communities, low-income groups, women and persons with disabilities at risk of further exclusion.

The session, titled ‘Closing Africa’s Connectivity Gap in the Age of AI and E-Governance’, took place during the WSIS Forum 2026 in Geneva. The annual forum, co-organised by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD, brings together governments, international organisations, civil society, the private sector, academia and technical communities to discuss digital cooperation and sustainable development.

Opening the session, Thobekile Matimbe of Paradigm Initiative framed the discussion around evidence from more than 28 countries. She said governments are increasingly adopting AI strategies, digital IDs and online public services, but many people still lack the connectivity, devices and conditions needed to benefit from them. Based on Paradigm Initiative’s work, she argued that the digital divide is widening rather than narrowing.

Bridget Hanani Ndlovu outlined the scale of exclusion, noting that 2.6 billion people remain unconnected globally and that more than half of Africa’s population is still offline. She stressed that the problem is not only missing infrastructure, but also what she described as ‘deliberate disconnection’, including internet shutdowns.

Ndlovu said Paradigm Initiative’s 2025 review of 29 African countries found that nine had implemented internet shutdowns. She cited Kenya and Tanzania as examples where connectivity can be disrupted even when infrastructure exists, arguing that such measures limit people’s ability to access information, public services and economic opportunities.

She also warned that AI-powered digital identity systems can deepen exclusion when introduced in unequal contexts. Referring to Uganda, Ndlovu said elderly people, women and persons with disabilities had faced difficulties accessing services linked to digital ID systems. She said digital systems must be designed and implemented with affected communities in mind, rather than assuming that technology will automatically improve access.

Affordability was another recurring concern. Ndlovu said data costs remain prohibitive in several African countries, giving Zimbabwe as an example where internet access can be unaffordable for low-income users. She also pointed to infrastructure problems in parts of Nigeria, including Zamfara North, where communities continue to experience limited or unreliable access.

Shumaila Shahani, a human rights lawyer, said similar challenges exist in South Asia and urged participants to focus on the human consequences of weak connectivity. She said poor access is not only about slow speeds or failed downloads, but can determine whether people receive essential services. As an example, she said biometric failures can prevent people from receiving food rations.

Shahani also linked connectivity to electricity access, explaining that unreliable power and limited charging options can make mobile devices unusable. She said women and persons with disabilities are often particularly affected when charging points, devices, and digital services are not accessible to them.

Her main warning was that AI-enabled and digital systems become harmful when they replace older offline channels before everyone can use the new systems. She said the ‘new AI door’ is not the problem by itself, but that exclusion occurs when it becomes the only door available.

The panel also discussed Universal Service Funds (USFs), which are intended to support connectivity in underserved areas. Ndlovu said many African countries have USFs in law, but implementation is often weak, transparency is limited and public information on budgets and progress is difficult to find.

She cited several country examples, saying Ethiopia had created a framework without an operational fund, Somalia lacked a functioning USF, Sudan had repeatedly established a fund without effective implementation, and telecom operators in the Democratic Republic of the Congo had not made required contributions. She added that South Africa showed stronger transparency around its fund, while Namibia had begun rollout work and Tunisia had pursued alternative coverage models through ‘white zones’.

Shahani suggested that USFs should be complemented by other affordability measures, including reduced taxes on handsets, device financing, targeted support for women’s connectivity and legal obligations requiring private operators to extend rural coverage. She said the connectivity policy should also address the electricity infrastructure, including solar-powered towers.

The speakers also called for stronger accountability before governments deploy AI-integrated public systems. Ndlovu said governments should conduct human rights impact assessments before adopting digital identity or AI systems and should consult affected communities early, not only at the end of the policy process.

She argued that governments and international processes should measure harms and impacts, not only infrastructure rollout or the number of AI tools adopted. Matimbe supported this point, saying implementation must include civil society and other stakeholders at the national level, not only governments and companies.

Shahani added that connectivity statistics should better reflect meaningful access. She said counting someone as connected because they have 2G access does not capture whether they can actually use digital public services, AI tools or online education. Measurement, she argued, should include device capability, speed, affordability and daily use.

She also said national AI strategies must include explicit connectivity budgets, warning that ‘any national AI strategy without a connectivity budget’ is ‘just a press release’.

In the audience discussion, speakers addressed whether women’s connectivity should be treated separately from household access. Ndlovu said women are often specifically disadvantaged in access to technology and should not have to depend on devices controlled by others. Shahani added that if a woman relies on her partner’s phone, that access is not meaningful or independent.

Across the session, speakers agreed that meaningful connectivity in the AI era requires more than network coverage. It also depends on affordability, electricity, devices, protection from shutdowns, functioning Universal Service Funds, inclusive design, offline alternatives and rights-based assessments before new systems are deployed.

The discussion concluded with a shared emphasis on implementation. Speakers argued that governments, companies, civil society and technical experts need to work together to ensure that AI, digital identity and e-governance systems do not deepen exclusion, but instead expand access to services and opportunities for communities that remain offline or underserved.

Track all key moments from the WSIS Forum 2026 on our dedicated WSIS page.

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Africa’s digital diplomacy in the AI era: Building a common voice for global digital governance

Africa’s place in an evolving digital governance landscape

As AI, cybersecurity, and digital technologies become increasingly central to international policymaking, African countries are seeking to strengthen their role in shaping global digital governance. Questions of representation, digital sovereignty, capacity development, and regional coordination are becoming more prominent as governments prepare for negotiations on AI governance, cybersecurity, telecommunications, and internet governance.

These issues formed the focus of a recent Diplo webinar on Cyber Diplomacy in Africa: Regional, National and Continental Initiatives, moderated by Mwende Njiraini, African Initiative Coordinator at Diplo and Chair of the ITU-T Study Group 17 Regional Group for Africa on security. The discussion brought together policymakers, diplomats, academics, and regional organisations to examine how African interests can be more effectively represented in international digital governance processes.

Speakers included Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director of Diplo and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform, Dr Katherine Getao, consultant on cyber diplomacy and former CEO of Kenya’s ICT Authority, Ambassador Prof. Bitange Ndemo, Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Nairobi and former Kenyan Ambassador to the European Union, Meriem Slimani, Development Director at the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), and Tapera Henry Chinemhute of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Secretariat.

Although the discussion focused on Africa, many of the issues raised, including AI governance, digital sovereignty, capacity development, and multistakeholder cooperation, reflect broader challenges facing digital governance worldwide.

From cyber diplomacy to diplomacy in the AI era

Opening the discussion, Kurbalija suggested that the distinction between cyber diplomacy, digital diplomacy, and technology diplomacy is becoming less significant as digital technologies permeate virtually every area of international relations. Rather than focusing on terminology, he argued that the central question is how countries, communities, and citizens represent their interests in an increasingly digital world.

‘Cyber diplomacy, digital diplomacy, or AI diplomacy is ultimately diplomacy. It is about representing interests, negotiating, and finding common solutions.’, he said.

According to Kurbalija, technological developments are no longer confined to specialised policy discussions. AI, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, and data governance increasingly influence trade, security, education, healthcare, humanitarian action, and economic development, making digital issues part of mainstream diplomacy.

This evolution also raises questions about whether Africa is sufficiently represented in international discussions shaping the future of digital technologies.

Kurbalija noted that African diplomats are becoming more active in negotiations related to AI, cybersecurity, and internet governance, but argued that stronger participation will be necessary to ensure that the continent’s priorities are reflected in emerging international frameworks.

He pointed to several forthcoming international meetings, including the AI for Good Global Summit, the AI Governance Dialogue, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 process in Geneva, and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) 2026 in Nairobi, as important opportunities for African governments, civil society organisations, academia, and the technical community to contribute to global discussions.

Rather than approaching these meetings individually, Kurbalija encouraged participants to prepare coordinated positions that reflect African priorities across different policy areas.

Regional coordination remains a work in progress

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the gap between continental ambitions and national implementation.

Introducing the session, Dr Katherine Getao observed that African countries have participated in international digital governance processes for several decades through the UN, the African Union (AU), and regional organisations including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), COMESA, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the East African Community (EAC).

However, she questioned whether these processes consistently translate into practical outcomes across the continent.

To illustrate this point, Getao presented the results of a live audience poll measuring familiarity with African digital governance initiatives. While approximately half of the participants recognised the AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (the Malabo Convention), significantly fewer were familiar with other continental initiatives, including the AU Digital Transformation Strategy and the African Union’s position on international law in cyberspace.

The findings suggested that awareness of Africa’s existing digital governance architecture remains uneven, even among participants engaged in digital policy discussions.

Ambassador Bitange Ndemo argued that implementation presents an even greater challenge than awareness. He observed that agreements adopted at the African Union level often take considerable time to influence national policymaking, with countries frequently developing their own legal and regulatory approaches rather than building on common continental frameworks.

Using the Malabo Convention as an example, Ndemo suggested that many governments introduced separate data protection legislation without fully integrating broader continental approaches. According to him, one contributing factor is reliance on external funding for many regional digital initiatives.

‘If we continue depending on external partners to finance our priorities, ownership becomes more difficult’, Ndemo added.

Ndemo argued that stronger African investment in digital governance initiatives would improve both implementation and long-term sustainability.

Getao echoed this concern, noting that important achievements at the continental level do not always ‘percolate’ effectively to national implementation.

Building common African positions

Despite these challenges, speakers highlighted several examples of growing regional coordination.

Meriem Slimani described how the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) has worked to strengthen cooperation among member states in preparing common African positions for international telecommunications negotiations.

When she joined the organisation in 2015, Slimani recalled, many countries submitted proposals independently at international meetings, often without consulting neighbouring states.

ATU responded by creating a coordination platform through which member countries discuss priorities, identify common interests, exchange experiences, and gradually develop shared positions before major international conferences.

‘Our objective has been to ensure that Africa speaks with one voice where common interests exist.’

According to Slimani, this collaborative approach has become particularly important in preparation for major meetings of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), where coordinated regional positions can strengthen Africa’s influence during negotiations.

Tapera Henry Chinemhute offered a complementary perspective from COMESA.

While acknowledging that implementation challenges remain, he argued that progress has been more visible in some sectors than others.

In particular, COMESA has advanced several practical digital trade initiatives, including electronic trade documentation, digital logistics systems, electronic certificates of origin, and simplified digital trade procedures designed to facilitate cross-border commerce.

Governance issues such as cybersecurity and cybercrime, however, have generally progressed more slowly because they often involve more politically sensitive discussions and require broader legal coordination among participating states.

Chinemhute suggested that smaller regional organisations can sometimes move more quickly than continental institutions because they involve fewer actors and more focused policy priorities.

Looking ahead

While speakers approached Africa’s digital future from different institutional and regional perspectives, several common priorities emerged throughout the discussion. These included strengthening Africa’s participation in global digital governance processes, improving coordination among national, regional, and continental initiatives, investing in capacity development, and ensuring that digital policies reflect local realities and priorities.

The discussion also highlighted that digital governance extends beyond technology. Questions of AI, cybersecurity, connectivity, language, education, and financing were presented as interconnected challenges that require cooperation among governments, regional organisations, academia, the private sector, and civil society.

As international discussions on AI and digital governance continue through forums such as the AI for Good Global Summit, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)+20 process, and the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), speakers stressed that African participation will be most effective when supported by coordinated regional positions and sustained investment in local expertise and digital capabilities.

Ultimately, the webinar underscored that Africa’s role in shaping the future of digital governance will depend not only on engagement in international negotiations but also on translating continental ambitions into practical national implementation and ensuring that African perspectives contribute to global debates on AI, cybersecurity, and digital development.

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Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria lead AfCFTA digital infrastructure rollout

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has selected Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria as the first countries to implement a digital public infrastructure initiative designed to support cross-border trade.

The initiative, known as Africa Digital Access and Public Infrastructure for Trade (ADAPT), aims to connect digital identity, trusted data exchange, and interoperable payment systems to reduce friction in intra-African commerce.

ADAPT focuses on replacing fragmented and paper-based trade processes with interoperable digital systems that can reduce delays, lower transaction costs, and support more predictable cross-border trade. The selection of the pilot countries was based on assessments of political commitment, regulatory readiness, technical capacity, and private-sector engagement.

The programme is intended to strengthen intra-African trade and improve access for small and medium-sized enterprises. Implementation is expected to begin with live cross-border data exchange, digitised documentation, and the integration of core digital infrastructure components, including identity and payment systems.

Participating countries will also test governance and regulatory models that could inform wider continental adoption. The initiative is being developed with partners including the World Economic Forum, the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, and the IOTA Foundation.

If successful, ADAPT could provide a model for scaling interoperable digital trade infrastructure across AfCFTA markets.

Why does it matter?

The pilot points to a shift from fragmented national trade systems towards more interoperable digital infrastructure for the African single market. By connecting identity, payments, and trusted data exchange, ADAPT targets practical barriers that continue to slow intra-African trade, particularly for smaller firms. Its success in Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria could shape how digital public infrastructure is used to support broader AfCFTA implementation.

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EU and Africa deepen cooperation on AI investment and digital infrastructure

European Commission has expanded cooperation discussions with African partners on AI through a new EU-Africa AI Tech Business Offer Event held in Brussels.

The event brought together policymakers, technology companies, development finance institutions, and digital cooperation organisations from Europe and Africa.

Government representatives from Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Tanzania participated in discussions alongside European digital companies and private sector organisations.

According to the European Commission, discussions focused on investment opportunities, AI infrastructure, and long-term cooperation between European and African digital ecosystems.

The initiative was organised under the Team Europe approach in cooperation with Smart Africa, the German development agency GIZ, and the Digital for Development Hub.

Why does it matter?

The event highlights increasing geopolitical and economic competition around ΑΙ partnerships, infrastructure, and digital influence across emerging markets. For Europe, cooperation with African countries supports broader goals linked to digital development, technological sovereignty, and global AI governance. For African governments, the partnerships may accelerate access to AI infrastructure, investment capital, skills development, and digital innovation ecosystems.

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UNESCO and African network advance AI in justice

AI is increasingly shaping Africa’s courts, from translation tools to legal search engines. As AI becomes more integrated, judicial actors face new questions around transparency, accountability, and human rights.

Thirty-one members of the African Network of Judicial Trainers (ANJT) gathered in Maputo for a regional workshop on AI, Justice, and Human Rights.

Participants included judicial directors, Supreme Court justices and senior magistrates who shared strategies for responsibly integrating AI into courts. UNESCO highlighted the importance of keeping justice human-centred amid technological change.

Discussions examined the benefits of AI-assisted translation and data analysis, alongside risks such as bias, discrimination, and opacity.

UNESCO introduced practical resources, including the Guidelines for the Use of AI in Courts and Tribunals and AI Essentials for Judges, to help judicial professionals implement ethical practices.

Workshop participants committed to adapting these materials into national training curricula, aiming to multiply knowledge across African judicial systems. ANJT and UNESCO emphasised that AI adoption should enhance efficiency without compromising fairness or the rule of law.

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Energy Infrastructure faces critical challenges in Africa’s digital future

Energy infrastructure is becoming a key foundation for Africa’s digital transformation. The rapid expansion of AI, cloud computing, and digital services is increasing electricity demand. Reliable and scalable power systems are therefore essential to support the growth of the continent’s digital economy.

Governments are integrating digital development into national policy strategies. Initiatives such as the New Deal Technologique Horizon 2034 in Senegal and Digital Ethiopia 2030 in Ethiopia prioritise digital infrastructure, data centres, and cloud services. However, these strategies require stronger alignment with energy planning.

Energy systems need modernisation to support data centres and AI infrastructure. Traditional power models are not designed for the high and rapidly growing energy demands of digital technologies. Expanding renewable energy, storage systems, and smart energy management can improve reliability and efficiency.

Data centres are increasingly viewed as strategic infrastructure. As central hubs of the digital economy, they require stable electricity supply, efficient cooling systems, and resilient energy management to support computing services and digital platforms.

Modular and energy-efficient infrastructure can accelerate digital deployment. Scalable power systems, modular data centres, and advanced energy storage can reduce deployment time and operational costs while supporting expanding digital services.

Collaboration across sectors is necessary to support sustainable digital growth. Governments, utilities, enterprises, and technology providers need to coordinate policies and investments to align digital transformation with energy transition efforts.

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Ethical governance at centre of Africa AI talks

Ghana is set to host the Pan African AI and Innovation Summit 2026 in Accra, reinforcing its ambition to shape Africa’s digital future. The gathering will centre on ethical artificial intelligence, youth empowerment and cross-sector partnerships.

Advocates argue that AI systems must be built on local data to reflect African realities. Many global models rely on datasets developed outside the continent, limiting contextual relevance. Prioritising indigenous data, they say, will improve outcomes across agriculture, healthcare, education and finance.

National institutions are central to that effort. The National Information Technology Agency and the Data Protection Commission have strengthened digital infrastructure and privacy oversight.

Leaders now call for a shift from foundational regulation to active enablement. Expanded cloud capacity, high-performance computing and clearer ethical AI guidelines are seen as critical next steps.

Supporters believe coordinated governance and infrastructure investment can generate skilled jobs and position Ghana as a continental hub for responsible AI innovation.

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AI in Africa accelerates a critical shift in economic development

AI is being positioned as a transformative driver of Africa’s economic future. A roadmap unveiled by the African Development Bank estimates that AI could generate up to $1 trillion in additional GDP by 2035, representing nearly one-third of the continent’s current output.

However, the opportunity is time-sensitive. Delays in implementation risk widening digital inequalities and increasing dependence on technologies developed elsewhere. Early progress, particularly by 2026, is considered essential to sustain momentum and attract long-term investment.

Rather than distributing AI evenly across the economy, the roadmap prioritises five sectors expected to capture most gains: agriculture, wholesale and retail, manufacturing, finance, and health. This targeted approach reflects resource constraints and the need to demonstrate measurable impact in high-employment and high-growth industries.

Despite its potential, Africa faces structural constraints. The continent accounts for only a small share of global AI compute capacity, while data infrastructure and cloud presence remain limited. Without expanded data centres, affordable computing resources, and improved connectivity, AI deployment may remain uneven.

The strategy rests on five core enablers: data, compute, skills, trust, and capital. Each pillar presents challenges, particularly in ensuring data accessibility, building technical expertise, and mobilising sustainable investment. Skills development is especially critical, as Africa represents a small portion of the global AI talent pool and significant literacy gaps persist.

The roadmap outlines three implementation phases between 2025 and 2035: ignition, consolidation, and scale. Success will depend on coordinated action, early infrastructure development, and cross-border collaboration.

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