APHRC Director urges PAP to promote ethical AI governance in Africa

During the AI Governance Workshop at the Pan-African Parliament, Henry Odero challenged policymakers to take ownership of Africa’s digital future. He highlighted that while AI can transform governance, its values and direction must be defined by Africa’s leaders themselves. #AIForAfrica #ResponsibleAI #DSWB #APHRC #PanAfricanParliament #DigitalTransformation Agnes Kiragga Anthony Mveyange Catherine Kyobutungi Tathagata Bhattacharjee Damazo Kadengye Letisha Najjemba Manemik Raïssa Melissa KWENKEU Miranda Barasa Steve Cygu AKILILU ALEMU Bertrand Hugo Mbatchou Ngahane Lifafa Kange Ousmane Diop David Amadi Pauline Andeso Moctar Gningue ONANA AKOA François Anicet, PhD Aminata Mboup, PhD Briceket Fomazou Rachel Odhiambo Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende Alvin Nahabwe Christine Ger Yordanos Sintayehu Meseret Mamuye CODATA Melsew Belachew Mengst Engdaw kebede Fetlework Gubena Bezawit Belachew Tesfaye Tesema Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Wellcome Trust, Charles Lenjo

“Everything About AI Has Been Said — Now It’s Time for Action.” That was the powerful message from H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), at the APHRC Roundtable on AI and Emerging Technologies held on the sidelines of the World Mobile Conference in Kigali. He challenged African leaders, researchers, and innovators to move beyond talk and build mechanisms that will allow the continent to harness the opportunities of the digital revolution. “While we continue to engage in long discussions about the future and benefits of AI, Africa falls behind in putting in place mechanisms to harness the opportunities of the digital revolution. Now it is time for everyone to play their role.” Chief Charumbira reaffirmed PAP’s readiness to provide policy leadership and legislative support to build an inclusive AI ecosystem — one that reflects African realities, languages, and datasets while addressing issues of ethics, equity, and data sovereignty. The session explored how multi-stakeholder partnerships — involving legislators, researchers, the private sector, and academia — can accelerate the responsible use of AI to drive Africa’s transformation. https://lnkd.in/gv-Y5YGs #PanAfricanParliament #AIinAfrica #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #Innovation #APHRC #ArtificialIntelligence #SmartAfrica #Kigali2025

MEDIA ADVISORY Pan-African Parliament Training Workshop on Artificial Intelligence Governance Theme: Building Parliamentary Capacity for AI Governance and Inclusive Digital Transformation Dates: 27 – 28 September 2025 Venue: Pan-African Parliament, Midrand, South Africa The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), in collaboration with African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), will convene a certified training workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance for Members of Parliament. This workshop follows the adoption of the Lusaka Declaration and seeks to build the capacity of parliamentarians to legislate, oversee, and represent citizens effectively in Africa’s digital transformation. It will culminate in the presentation of a Draft Parliamentary Toolkit on AI Governance, a Parliamentary Communiqué, and the issuance of certificates of completion to MPs. Media representatives are invited to cover the session (09:00 27 September 2025) and Closing Session (16:00- 18:00 28 September 2025). #PAPCommittees2025 #PanAfricanParliament #OneAfricaOneVoice #ArtificialIntelligenceAfrica #AIRegulationAfrica #AIForDevelopment #AI4Governance #AIinAfrica #ResponsibleAI #EthicalAI #DigitalGovernance #Agenda2063 #YearOfReparations

Africa must own its AI future or risk being left behind. At the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) AI Governance Workshop, Agnes Kiragga of the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) urged legislators to shift from being consumers to creators of AI. She emphasized the need to close the data gap and enact strong national governance laws to secure Africa’s digital sovereignty. #AIForAfrica #ResponsibleAI #APHRC #DSWB #PanAfricanParliament #DigitalTransformation #Agenda2063 #WeAreAfrica #APHRCResearch Jacob Odada Modester K. Agnes Kiragga Anthony Mveyange Catherine Kyobutungi Tathagata Bhattacharjee Damazo Kadengye Letisha Najjemba Manemik Raïssa Melissa KWENKEU Miranda Barasa Steve Cygu AKILILU ALEMU Bertrand Hugo Mbatchou Ngahane Lifafa Kange Ousmane Diop David Amadi Pauline Andeso Moctar Gningue ONANA AKOA François Anicet, PhD Aminata Mboup, PhD Briceket Fomazou Rachel Odhiambo Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende Alvin Nahabwe Christine Ger Yordanos Sintayehu Meseret Mamuye CODATA Melsew Belachew Mengst Engdaw kebede Fetlework Gubena Bezawit Belachew Tesfaye Tesema Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Wellcome Trust, Charles Lenjo Jeffrey Onganga

At the Pan-African Parliament AI Governance Workshop, Daniel Mwanga from the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) called for a more connected and collaborative approach to managing Africa’s data. He noted that secure and adaptable systems are essential if African data is to effectively power AI innovations that serve the continent’s needs. #AIForAfrica #ResponsibleAI #APHRC #DSWB #PanAfricanParliament #DigitalTransformation #WeAreAfrica Jacob Odada Modester K. Agnes Kiragga Anthony Mveyange Catherine Kyobutungi Tathagata Bhattacharjee Damazo Kadengye Letisha Najjemba Manemik Raïssa Melissa KWENKEU Miranda Barasa Steve Cygu AKILILU ALEMU Bertrand Hugo Mbatchou Ngahane Lifafa Kange Ousmane Diop David Amadi Pauline Andeso Moctar Gningue ONANA AKOA François Anicet, PhD Aminata Mboup, PhD Briceket Fomazou Rachel Odhiambo Joyce Nakatumba-Nabende Alvin Nahabwe Christine Ger Yordanos Sintayehu Meseret Mamuye CODATA Melsew Belachew Mengst Engdaw kebede Fetlework Gubena Bezawit Belachew Tesfaye Tesema Armauer Hansen Research Institute, Wellcome Trust, Charles Lenjo

Research-data sharing within and outside African borders is a passive nested egg. Activity without ethics will break it and too little ethical force we will not see it hatch. Incubation and adaptable data sharing systems under ethical policies can counteract this.

✅ It’s a wrap at the Public Protector South Africa’s 30-Year Anniversary International Conference here in Cape Town 🇿🇦 Themed “Combating Corruption and Promoting Ethical Governance: Enhancing Public Participation and Citizen-Centered Governance,” the conference brought together thought leaders and practitioners committed to strengthening institutions through integrity, innovation, and public trust. One key takeaway for me was the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in shaping the future of ethical governance — both in the public and private sectors. AI has the potential to: 🤖 Enhance transparency and accountability through advanced data analysis and predictive monitoring. 🌍 Empower citizens by improving access to information and enabling real-time feedback mechanisms. 💡 Support evidence-based decision-making that improves service delivery and public trust. However, as we embrace digital transformation, we must remain vigilant and ethical — ensuring technology never replaces human intellect, empathy, or moral judgment. AI should serve humanity, not dominate it. The future of ethical governance will depend on how well we balance innovation with integrity. #EthicalGovernance #AI #PublicSectorInnovation #Leadership #PublicProtectorSA #CapeTown #GoodGovernance #DigitalTransformation

To counter these risks and harness the potential, Oluwaseun Dania highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to an ethical, growth-focused approach, noting that the Nigerian government, through the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani Tijani, launched the National AI Strategy in April 2025, which is a collaborative blueprint projected to contribute $15 billion to Nigeria's GDP by 2030 and aims to equip 70% of the youth workforce with AI capabilities by the same year. Obinna Iwuno

🌅Africa stands at a defining moment. 🚀As AI advances faster than policy, democratic governance is struggling to keep pace. Corporate giants now wield more power than some nations, while governments, especially in the Global South, lag behind in resources, skills, and digital capability. 🌐This imbalance between corporate power and democratic oversight will soon create a governance crisis. The future belongs to nations that govern innovation with vision, ethics, and equity. Africa is the future. All African nations have that opportunity📌📡🔌💡 #ubuntu #AI4good #ubuntucenter4ai

𝐀𝐈 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 When it comes to AI in health, everyone talks about innovation but few talk about governance. Kenya recently launched its National AI Strategy (2025–2030) a major step toward guiding how AI will shape sectors like healthcare. But we still need to translate this vision into action: frameworks that ensure AI tools are 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞, 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 by both providers and communities. Globally, WHO and the EU are already setting standards WHO through ethical guidance on AI for health, and the EU through binding regulations for high-risk applications. For maternal and neonatal health, this means we need more than technology we need 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭, 𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 to ensure AI works for everyone, not just where systems are strongest. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘺𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩? #AIinMNH #DigitalHealth #EthicalInnovation #GlobalHealth #KenyaAI2030 #AIforGood