“Africa’s AI Moment: Will the Continent Lead or Be Left Behind?” | Forghab Prince Donald
- Open Dreams
- 7 days ago
- 5 min read
Reflections from the Global AI Summit on Africa, Kigali 2025
“Only 5% of the global AI workforce is African.”
That statement opened the Global AI Summit on Africa in Kigali this April 2025, a stark but powerful reminder of Africa's challenge and opportunity in shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence, AI.
With a population of over 1.4 billion, of which about 60% are under 30, the continent holds the youngest, fastest growing, and potentially most innovative demographic on Earth. But the real question echoing through the summit halls wasn’t about statistics. It was about leveraging that potential to make it actual.
Africa cannot afford to be absent in this new revolution that would shape mankind. Which other way to put it better than in the words of Faure Gnassingbé, President of the Republic of Togo, "Africa should not expect anyone to develop their technologies and just hand it over to us. The hour of strategic realism is here, and we must partake in this new revolution and not just be mere consumers.”
Reimagining Trust & Safety in an AI-Driven World
One of the most thought-provoking sessions covered the creeping risks of AI misuse. The most feared of which are online scams and hate speech, to deep fakes and surveillance. Numerous panelists emphasized the need for trust—not just in the technology, but also in the people and systems that build and regulate it.
Dr. Joy Buolamwini raised a bold concern, which is perhaps creating schizophrenic behaviors: “Are we overemphasizing safeguards to the point of paralysis?” In other words, while some states cite safety and cultural preservation, these can often mask a deeper fear of progress. The challenge is to craft policies that protect people without stifling innovation or individual freedoms. Rachel Adams, Founding CEO of the Global Center on AI Governance, warned of a bigger issue, that of evidence fragmentation. She warns that without global consensus or shared data, governments risk building AI systems in silos, each of which may have different priorities, safeguards, and blind spots. Meanwhile, Jennifer Louie, still on the same panel, reminded us of some of the most basic challenges the continent still faces when it comes to incorporating AI within our ecosystem. She highlighted the fact that a frail mobile banking authentication system, for example, in East Africa, is still an impediment for millions who rely on online banking for their business, travels, all of which weakens trust among users. In East Africa, a significant portion of mobile banking complaints relate to users being locked out of their funds. What does that say about our readiness for more complex AI systems?
The message for me was very clear here: we need to develop open frameworks, drive regional cooperation, and foster community-driven research—not chokepoints.
How do we build AI into Africa’s Public Infrastructure?
Discussions around this topic were very practical-oriented. How concretely is AI equalizing the playing field? It is perhaps important to note that AI isn’t just about high-tech labs or futuristic dreams. It’s about real-world systems that impact people’s daily lives—from agriculture to education, telemedicine, or the smooth delivery of basic services like national identity cards and passport production.
Josephine Mukesha of Rwanda’s National Identification Agency stressed how AI can streamline services like passport applications and medical diagnostics, and how that has been making a difference in Rwanda, for example. Fatmata Sesay of the UNDP highlighted the Timbuktu Initiative, an effort to spur the growth of entrepreneurial ventures across Africa, which has empowered some with digital skills and tools, echoing the transformative potential of something as simple as Google Translate, now expanding toward 1000 supported languages. You can read more about the initiative here and perhaps take action today. However, the trillion-dollar takeaway is: AI could contribute anywhere between $1.2 trillion to $2.9 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2030, depending on the scale of infrastructure, talent development, and policy alignment. Regardless of the exact figure, the direction is clear: Africa stands to gain enormously—if it acts decisively.
Snehar Shah, CEO of IXAfrica made a compelling case for ecosystem building. Governments must understand that infrastructure is as vital as innovation. In East Africa, where regulatory and energy investments have been favorable, momentum is already visible. Kenya, for instance, is one of the world’s top producers of geothermal energy—a clean, stable source powering data centers and tech hubs across the region. Good things are possible on the continent whenever the willingness is steadfast. But policy must catch up to innovation. As Dr. Salmah Amassi emphasized, Africa is moving too fast without always building the foundations needed for where it wants to go.
Rwanda: A Case Study in Doing It Differently
While some countries are still discussing frameworks, Rwanda is quietly building the future. During the summit, Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire shared the country’s recent steps: some of which included the signing of an MOU with the Gates Foundation for infrastructure development in health, agriculture and education, the creation of a special fund for AI startups, a call to other African governments to follow suit. Rwanda has also eased the administrative bottlenecks of starting a business in Rwanda. Today, it is possible to launch a business in under six hours. These aren’t lofty goals and are replicable models other African nations can adopt. While AI can drive growth, there must also exist good governance systems that attract and retain talent on the African continent. The way forward is rather clear for me, we don’t only need to build talent on the continent, we also need stable administrative systems that ensure sustainability. And yet, as Kate Kallot remarked in the closing session, “It’s cheaper to launch an AI startup in Delaware than in Africa.” Bureaucracy, taxes, and operating costs remain major hurdles that urgently need attention.
So, Where Do We Go From Here?
The Global AI Summit wasn’t just another gathering like the hundreds of conferences around the world. It was a mirror held up to Africa, portraying to the world a continent on the cusp of a new era, but still deciding who will write the story. There is absolutely no doubt at this juncture, the stakes are very massive for the continent. AI today isn’t just about tech; it’s also about power, and we have seen that between OpenAI and Deepseek. It’s equally about identity, what narrative it shapes. It’s about who gets to decide what’s possible and Africa cannot afford to be on the receiving end.
Africa has the natural resources, the human capital, and the creative energy to lead. But as you may expect already, leadership won’t be granted. It must be claimed through the adoption of smart policies, bold infrastructure, and relentless collaboration.
Just as I conclude, many people would often mention that Africa is behind in AI, but I think it's essential we keep in mind that this is not a race about who discovers what first, but more about building systems that workm for the continent, in responding to its food insecurity, climate disasters, education and urbanization. So, when next someone tells you Africa is lagging, ask them this: lagging... according to whom?
Forghab Prince Donald
Master of Public Policy, University of Oxford|Sophisticated team Lead|Open Dreams Scholar| YALI Regional Fellow|Global Shaper| Consultant
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