On April 4, 2025, leaders from across the African continent gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, for the Global AI Summit on Africa, organised under the theme “AI and Africa’s Demographic Dividend: Reimagining Economic Opportunities for Africa’s Workforce”.
A historic step was taken during the inaugural Global AI Summit, as African nations collectively signed the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (AI), placing Artificial Intelligence at the heart of Africa’s economic and social development strategies.
The Declaration envisions Africa as not just a consumer of AI but a creator of cutting-edge, homegrown solutions. Leaders lay out how AI can be ethically and responsibly harnessed to address the continent’s priorities such as job creation, education, healthcare, and sustainable infrastructure. The text aligns closely with existing continental frameworks, such as the African Union Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy, African Union Data Policy Framework and Agenda 2063, signalling a coordinated approach to digital transformation.
Guiding Principles
The Declaration emphasises:
- Sovereignty, Inclusivity & Cultural Relevance: AI systems must be designed by and for Africans, ensuring that all communities benefit and diverse voices are heard.
- Ethics & Human Dignity: Strong safeguards must protect privacy, ethics, transparency, and explainability, with human rights and environmental sustainability at the core.
- Collaboration for Capacity Building: Building AI infrastructure and capabilities through local investment and global partnerships to ensure long-term impact and innovation.
Strategic Objectives
- Drive innovation and competitiveness using AI.
- Position Africa as a global leader in ethical and inclusive AI.
- Ensure responsible governance, development, and deployment of AI technologies.
Key Commitments
The Declaration outlines strategic commitments across several areas, such as;
Talent Development
- Establish continent-wide AI education and literacy initiatives.
- Strengthen higher education AI curricula and research capacity.
- Create an African AI Scientific Panel to drive contextually relevant research and policies.
Data Governance
- Facilitate open data sharing and interoperable AI models in key sectors like healthcare and agriculture.
- Develop robust data governance frameworks, prioritizing security, privacy, and ethical use of data.
Computing Infrastructure
- Deploy distributed sovereign computing infrastructure accessible to academic and research institutions.
- Build regional data centres interconnected by a high-speed continental network, emphasizing cybersecurity and minimal environmental impact.
Market Growth
- Launch AI incubation hubs supporting African innovation.
- Promote an “Africa-first” procurement policy leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand market opportunities across borders.
Investment
- Establish a $60 billion Africa AI Fund to drive safe, inclusive, and competitive AI economies, funding infrastructure, research, and innovation ecosystems.
Governance and Cooperation
- Promote innovative, responsible AI governance aligned with the AU AI Continental Strategy.
- Foster regional and intergovernmental cooperation for regulatory harmonization and knowledge sharing.
- Create an Africa AI Council for high-level engagement and global strategic alignment.
The Declaration is a roadmap for Africa to leapfrog existing barriers and champion a more inclusive digital economy. The Summit symbolises a decisive break with the past where Africa often took a reactive stance to a future in which the continent proactively shapes the global AI agenda.
In essence, the Africa Declaration on AI lays the framework for the continent to become a robust force in AI creation, governance, and commercial viability. Endorsing this framework, African nations commit to transforming their demographic advantages into digital opportunities, setting a clear, united direction for Africa’s future in the AI-driven global economy.
