Smart Africa, a coalition comprising 40 African nations representing over a billion people, has officially established the Africa Artificial Intelligence (AI) Council. This initiative aims to position the continent as a formidable player in the global AI economy.
The newly formed Council includes various stakeholders from the government, the private sector, and leading AI experts from civil society and academia. Its primary goal is to guide Africa’s strategic advancement in the AI era.
In a statement, Smart Africa highlighted Africa’s unique advantage of having the world’s youngest and fastest-growing workforce, which positions the continent to reap significant productivity benefits from AI technologies.
Industry experts anticipate that AI could contribute up to US$30 billion to Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy by 2030. Moreover, fostering AI skills among young people is a key driver for innovation, enabling a workforce ready to serve the continent and beyond.
Smart Africa emphasised this potential: “The continent has a unique opportunity to shape the workforce of the future, powered by AI-driven industries, thereby advancing digital transformation and enhancing economic competitiveness.”
The Africa AI Council is intended to act as a catalyst for these goals, working collaboratively with existing national and continental initiatives. By aligning and enhancing various efforts, the Council aims to unlock the vast potential of AI to foster growth and inclusive transformation across Africa.
Lacina Koné, the CEO of Smart Africa, remarked: “The creation of the Africa AI Council is a significant milestone in realising Africa’s potential within the AI-driven global economy. AI represents more than just technology; it is an African tool that, when guided by the right ethical frameworks and inclusive policies, can pave the way toward digital prosperity and resilience for all citizens.”
The launch of the 15-member Council will take place at the forthcoming Global AI Summit on Africa, which Rwanda’s Centre organises for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in collaboration with the Ministry of ICT and Innovation and the World Economic Forum.
C4IR will work with Qhala, a social impact assessment company, alongside Smart Africa to develop strategies and operational mechanisms for the Council’s secretariat. Qhala has secured start-up funding from the Gates Foundation to support formulating the Council’s strategic plan.
Additionally, Qhala is already creating an AI governance toolkit, an AI talent readiness index, and a framework for a pan-African AI Research Centre—initiatives aimed at facilitating the Council’s objectives.
