On April 4, 2025, representatives from 52 African countries gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, for the Global AI Summit for Africa. This historic event marked the signing of the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence (the Declaration), a significant step forward for the continent in embracing the AI revolution. Despite public scepticism of superintelligence, African nations are now poised to harness the potential of AI for the benefit of their citizens.

Objectives of the Declaration

The Declaration, in an impressively brief 5 pages of text including the French version, sets forth several ambitious objectives aimed at positioning Africa as a global leader in ethical, trustworthy, and inclusive AI adoption. These objectives include:

  • Fostering sustainable and responsible AI design, development, deployment, use, and governance in Africa.
  • Leveraging AI to drive innovation and competitiveness, advancing Africa’s economies, industries, and societies.

Commitments by Signatories

The signatories to the Declaration have committed to several key initiatives to achieve these objectives:

  1. Developing AI Practitioners: Through continent-wide education initiatives, adapted higher learning curricula, increased research capacity, and AI awareness programs, African nations aim to cultivate a new generation of AI experts.
  2. Creating an African AI Scientific Panel: The panel will advocate for contextually relevant, evidence-based AI research, ensuring that AI solutions are tailored to the unique needs of African societies.
  3. Establishing a Framework for African Open Data Sets and AI Models: By ensuring data governance mechanisms that comply with the AU Data Policy Framework and global best practices, African countries will promote data practices that ensure diversity, inclusion, consumer protection, and intellectual property rights.
  4. Distributing Sovereign Computer Infrastructure: To ensure access to affordable high-performance computing resources, African nations will establish regional data centres with robust cybersecurity measures.
  5. Establishing Regional AI Incubation and Scaling Hubs: By adopting an “Africa-first” approach to AI procurement and leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area for cross-border scaling of AI projects, African countries will foster innovation and growth in the AI sector.
  6. Creating a $60 Billion Africa AI Fund: This fund will support foundational and catalytic investment in AI infrastructure, enterprises, practitioners, and research capabilities, contributing to the development of a competitive African AI economy.
  7. Supporting National AI Policies: Aligned with the African Union AI Continental Strategy, these policies will promote innovative and responsible AI adoption, with a continent-wide knowledge-sharing platform for best practices in AI governance.
  8. Endorsing the Establishment of the Africa AI Council: The council will ensure high-level engagement and strategic alignment with continental and global digital transformation efforts, leveraging experts from various sectors.

Significance of the $60 Billion Africa AI Fund

One of the most notable commitments arising from the Declaration is the establishment of the $60 billion Africa AI Fund. This fund will play a crucial role in building the AI infrastructure that is currently lacking in Africa. By developing models trained on data sets that accurately reflect the African context, the fund will create tools to address uniquely African challenges. In the ever-evolving geopolitical climate, it is imperative for African countries to be part of the global AI conversation, enabling them to innovate and solve their own problems.

Conclusion

The signing of the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence represents a monumental leap into the future for African states. By committing to ethical and inclusive AI adoption, enhancing AI education and infrastructure, and establishing a substantial AI fund, African nations are positioning themselves as leaders in the global AI landscape. The time for Africa to embrace the AI revolution is now, and the opportunities for investment and growth are boundless. Africa, our time is now.