President Paul Kagame’s address at the Global AI Summit in Kigali delivered a timely and necessary wake-up call to African leaders: the artificial intelligence revolution is here, and the continent cannot afford to be left behind again.
The opportunities are immense. As highlighted during the summit, AI has the potential to add up to $30 billion to sub-Saharan Africa’s economy by 2030 and lift the continent’s GDP by 3 per cent.
But these gains will not come automatically. They will require deliberate, strategic investments in infrastructure, education, and policy frameworks.
Kagame rightly emphasised the urgency of investing in digital infrastructure and building a skilled workforce. Without reliable internet, stable power supply, and AI-ready education systems, African countries risk becoming passive consumers of AI technologies developed elsewhere, rather than active contributors to the global AI economy.
Yet the road ahead is complex. As Kagame noted, global AI development is already being shaped by geopolitical rivalries and dominated by a few technologically advanced nations.
In this context, Africa must work together through initiatives like the newly proposed Africa AI Council and support from bodies like the African Union and Smart Africa to chart its own course. A unified, continental strategy will be essential in shaping fair and equitable AI policies that benefit all member states.
The private sector also has a crucial role to play. Investment in AI start-ups, centers of excellence, and youth-focused innovation hubs like Rwanda’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution must be scaled across the continent.
Africa’s young population, as noted by Crystal Rugege, is a unique competitive advantage. But that potential must be unlocked with practical support: training programs, job creation, and legal protections in the digital realm.
Ultimately, Africa’s AI future must be both bold and inclusive. The call to action is clear. The question now is whether Africa’s leaders, businesses, and institutions can rise to the challenge, not only to catch up, but to lead with a distinctly African vision of technological progress.
