Artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful catalyst for Africa’s economic transformation, with the potential to boost the continent’s overall growth by an estimated 10 to 15 per cent and generate hundreds of millions of new jobs by the end of the decade.
However, experts warn that without urgent and coordinated investment in skills, infrastructure, and leadership, Africa risks remaining a passive consumer of AI technologies rather than a global creator and innovator.
This was highlighted by Nonye Ujam, Government Affairs Director at Microsoft West Africa, who described Africa’s AI opportunity as one of the most consequential stories of the decade.
With the youngest population in the world and a rapidly expanding digital economy, the continent has the demographic advantage needed to become a global AI powerhouse.
Yet, despite its promise, Africa’s AI ecosystem remains significantly underdeveloped. Annual investment in AI across the continent is estimated at just $2–3 billion—roughly 1 per cent of global AI spending.
Nonye Ujam says this funding gap underscores a broader challenge: the absence of large-scale, locally grounded AI infrastructure and skills development frameworks.
She argues that sustainable AI growth in Africa must be built around solutions designed for the continent’s linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity.
This includes the development of advanced language models that reflect local contexts, as well as policies that support equitable access to data, computing power, and digital tools.
“However, technology alone is not enough. Industry leaders stress that talent development remains the single most critical factor in determining whether Africa can compete in the global AI race. Building a comprehensive skills ecosystem—one that aligns government policy, private sector investment, and educational reform—is seen as essential.”
Ujam point to leadership as the foundation of any successful national AI strategy. Governments, in particular, are expected to set priorities, regulate responsibly, and ensure inclusive access to digital infrastructure.
“Nigeria is increasingly cited as a case study in early-stage AI leadership development. Through initiatives such as the Artificial Intelligence Skills Initiative (AINSI), the country has begun embedding ethical and inclusive AI principles within its public sector.”
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“Over the past year, partnerships involving government institutions and Lagos Business School have trained nearly 100 senior leaders, including members of the National Assembly and officials from 58 ministries, on AI-driven governance and sector-specific implementation strategies.”
She said national digital upskilling programmes are equipping teachers with the skills needed to introduce AI concepts into classrooms.
“Hundreds of educators have completed pilot training programmes, marking a shift toward embedding AI literacy into everyday learning. Universities are also strengthening digital and entrepreneurial training to prepare students for participation in the global digital economy.”
She however, caution that AI literacy must not be limited to specialists. For economies to remain competitive, AI knowledge must become foundational for students, job seekers, entrepreneurs, and workers across sectors.