"Chief Charumbira Calls for Action on AI 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

South Africa pushes for Global AI Governance at the meeting of the #G20 Task Force on AI, an initiative of the country’s G20 presidency. Key priorities to include: 💽 Data governance ↔️ Multilingual and multicultural representation 🚇 AI in public services 🔬 International research collaboration 🫆 Safeguarding information integrity 🌍 AI for Africa initiative aligned with AU’s 2063 agenda As the world seeks to ensure responsible AI design, development and deployment, 🇿🇦 G20 presidency aims to place Africa at the forefront. Follow Tayo for daily posts on AI governance in Africa.

Africa's AI governance landscape is evolving rapidly, and the approach offers valuable lessons for the global community: The Numbers: 15 national and 2 continental AI strategies published to date $2.9-4.8B projected economic impact by 2030 49 African countries endorsed the Africa Declaration on AI $60B Africa AI Fund announced to accelerate development What Makes This Different: Policymakers are redefining what winning looks like: local models optimized for African languages and contexts, AI that does more with less energy, and frameworks that prioritize youth employment in a region where 1 in 4 global citizens will be African by 2050. The Five Pillars: The continent is building from the ground up—talent, data, governance, research, and infrastructure. Not as separate initiatives, but as an integrated ecosystem. Nigeria is developing multilingual LLMs in five local languages. Togo is training 50,000 individuals annually in AI skills. Morocco and South Africa are deploying advanced supercomputing capabilities. The Sovereignty Question: Perhaps most compelling is the emphasis on AI sovereignty. In a world where technology shapes not just what people do but how they think, African leaders are treating AI development as a matter of national interest—not just economic opportunity. The challenge ahead? Moving from declaration to delivery. From 15 strategies to 55. From imported AI models to locally developed solutions that reflect African values, contexts, and realities. Full analysis from Carnegie Endowment: https://lnkd.in/gsdMbmVA #AI #AfricaTech #AIGovernance #DigitalTransformation #TechPolicy #EmergingMarkets

#G20 | AI for Africa Conference 🌐 Today and tomorrow, international G20 Stakeholders, including Research ICT Africa's Dr Alison Gillwald, will gather to support the launch of the AI for Africa Initiative. Born from the African Union AI Strategy and Data Governance Framework, the Initiative aims to: - Scale investments in AI infrastructure on the continents; - Develop AI-ready, African datasets; - Develop frameworks that support equitable, inclusive, rights-centred and ethical AI adoption; and - Leverage AI for sustainable and economic growth on the continent. However, to do this, a foundation of trustworthy and inclusive data governance is non-negotiable. Responding to this need, Dr Alison Gillwald will moderate a High Level Panel on 'Enhancing Data Governance and Institutional Capacities in Africa', which will explore how African countries can strengthen their data capabilities to support AI development. The conversation will build on the AUDPF and Strategy on AI, UNESCO’s global standard-setting work, the Broadband Commission's Data Governance Toolkit, and the G20 data governance toolkit, among other strategic regional documents. This event will happen back-to-back with the AI Taskforce Ministerial Meetings will, where G20 members, invited countries, and the private sector will have the opportunity to publicly announce their pledges for financial and technical commitments to support shaping Africa's AI future. G20 South Africa African Union UNESCO

🌍 Global Index on Responsible AI – Research in Mali 🇲🇱 As part of the Delta Week 2 deliverable, I’m continuing my work on the Global Index on Responsible AI, focusing on the Mali country case study. This week, my research explored: The current policy landscape for AI development and governance in Mali. National and regional AI strategies, data protection laws, and digital rights frameworks. Challenges around transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability in the use of emerging technologies. How Mali’s participation in global and continental initiatives (like the African Union’s AI framework) shapes responsible AI practices. 🔍 The goal is to contribute evidence-based insights that help strengthen AI governance, ethical innovation, and public trust in technology across Francophone Africa. I welcome collaboration and feedback from researchers, policymakers, and technologists working on AI ethics and digital governance in Africa. #ResponsibleAI #AIGovernance #DigitalEthics #Mali #AIinAfrica #GlobalIndexonResponsibleAI #DeltaProgram

Nigeria is charting a bold path in the global AI race. At the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance, Kashifu Inuwa, DG of NITDA, unveiled Nigeria’s National AI Strategy—a framework designed to: ✅ Build sovereign cloud & national datasets ✅ Launch Africa-first multilingual AI models ✅ Foster inclusivity with at least 40% women representation ✅ Transform industries from healthcare to agriculture 👉 “We’re not waiting to be carried along in the AI revolution. We are building the future—one innovation, one ecosystem, one Nigerian language at a time.” #AI #Nigeria #TechInnovation #Leadership Find out more 👇 :  https://lnkd.in/dPNKucz5

Digital Transformation of Governance in Africa: AI is reshaping how governments serve citizens and shaping the future of African public sector leadership. Let’s stay ahead with the latest skills. In partnership with UNESCO and the SPARK ALLIANCE project, CAFRAD is proud to announce the upcoming launch of the course “Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation in Government”, developed by Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and UNESCO . This course is designed to empower public servants to lead this transformation responsibly. Learn more and register your interest / Sign up for free: https://oxsbs.link/unesco (Course available in English and Spanish) #AI #DigitalGovernance #ResponsibleAI #OxfordOnlineLearning #OxfordSaïdOnline

🌍 Is the AI revolution leaving the Global South behind? AI has the potential to transform every facet of development—from agriculture and education to healthcare and democratic participation. But unless we act deliberately, the benefits of this transformation will not be evenly distributed. Instead, we risk reinforcing global inequality. A recent piece by researcher Rachel Adams (@AI4Dev) offers a timely and urgent analysis of how AI is poised to deepen the divide between the Global North and South—unless we rethink our global approach: 📖 https://lnkd.in/eEVMgtBZ Here are five essential policy areas to bridge this AI divide: 1. **Compute and Infrastructure** Africa currently holds <1% of the world’s data centre capacity—without major investment, this limits AI innovation on the continent. 2. **Data Governance** Fragmented, unregulated data practices mean African communities often don't benefit from the value their data creates. Ethical, well-governed datasets like those supported by the Lacuna Fund are showing a better path forward. 3. **Language Inclusion** Most large AI models ignore African languages. Projects like Zuzi, a chatbot supporting survivors of gender-based violence in local languages, show the value of inclusive design. 4. **Skills and AI Literacy** Only 5% of AI professionals across Africa have adequate resources for advanced work. Broad-based education, vocational training, and public literacy campaigns are vital. 5. **Safety, Ethics, and Governance** AI in Africa faces risks from disinformation to job disruption. A coordinated governance approach—anchored in equity and inclusion—is now urgent. > “Africa holds less than 1% of global data centre capacity… yet AI depends on compute.” – Rachel Adams via [The Conversation](https://lnkd.in/eEVMgtBZ) Later this year, Cape Town will host the G20’s digital economy working group meeting—marking the first time AI policy is debated on African soil at this level. This is more than symbolic. It’s a window of opportunity to reposition Africa not as a passive recipient of technology, but as a co-architect of our AI future. ✅ Business leaders, technologists, and policymakers: What role can you play in ensuring this future is inclusive and fair? Let’s make sure AI becomes a tool for collective prosperity—not one more wedge driving global inequality. #AIforGood #DigitalInclusion #EmergingMarkets #TechEquity #DataGovernance #G20 #ResponsibleAI

AI won’t just shape Africa’s future, it’s already shaping our present. But without safety and ethics at the core, innovation risks becoming biased and harmful. In this edition of the AI for Business Masterclass Series, we’ll unpack the business case for AI Safety and explore how African entrepreneurs and business leaders can navigate the ethical and regulatory landscape, and turn AI safety into a strategic advantage, not just a compliance checkbox. What you’ll learn: - Why AI safety is a critical business driver - How to mitigate real-world risks, from bias to data misuse - The regulatory horizon in Africa, and how to prepare - What it takes to build trustworthy AI that strengthens your brand, customer loyalty, and long-term growth Whether you're building or investing in AI, this session will equip you to make smarter, safer, and more strategic decisions that serve both people and profit. 📅 Saturday, 4th October, 2025 ⏰ 2 PM CAT | 1 PM WAT | 3 PM EAT 👉 Register here (Virtual event): https://bit.ly/AISafety101 This session is hosted in collaboration with the AI Safety Rwanda Community as part of our mission to catalyze transformative, tech-enabled innovation across Africa. At CcHUB, we are committed to driving Africa’s prosperity through technology through responsible innovation, inclusive ecosystems, and solutions that serve real human needs. We believe innovation must empower communities, protect livelihoods, and build long-term trust. That’s why we’re working toward a future where AI works for the continent safely, ethically, and inclusively. Cyril Obika, Phd, LLM, FCTI

Korea’s APEC Digital & AI Forum Highlights Asia’s Push for Responsible Tech Leadership As AI reshapes the global digital economy, Korea leads regional dialogue on inclusion, innovation, and governance ahead of the APEC CEO Summit   South Korea hosted the first-ever APEC Digital & AI Forum in Incheon, marking a pivotal step toward shaping a unified approach to artificial intelligence across the Asia-Pacific. Co-hosted by the Ministry of […] The post Korea’s APEC Digital & AI Forum Highlights Asia’s Push for Responsible Tech Leadership appeared first on KoreaTechToday - Korea's Leading Tech and Startup Media Platform . https://lnkd.in/g5ms_HmB #KoreaTech #techindustryinkorea #technewsinkorea