Building Africa-First: Our Continent's Unique Path to AI Innovation

Tracking the technologies, talent, and transformations reshaping the continent's digital future

Feb 19, 2025

The Rundown In The News

The Rundown Studio was featured in this story ahead of the Africa Tech Summit: Africa’s AI Moment—Policies, Progress, and the Push for Homegrown Innovation. Here’s the story on Techsoma and my interview alongside Nigerian Minister Bosun Tejani on the push of homegrown innovation. My thanks to Ifeanyi Abraham for writing this important story and speaking to The Rundown Studio.

The Rundown Product Update

We are hard at work now testing our Pressmate MVP over the coming month to making press releases easy. We are making the experience better than a ChatGPT How? We can organize the experience in a better way using rooms, collaborations, approved boilerplate language and eliminating long prompting interrogations. We are using an agent to prompt you with questions using our own prompt engineering, media savvy and mapped logic in this communications space.

Thomas, my cofounder has added a little more juice on our dashboard, offering you the chance to write a new release with our baked in system instructions and knowledge. Splash of color too and some movement!

Thomas has also added the ability to upload a press release you’ve already done, and ask Pressmate to improve on it. We noticed a lot of clients ask me and my team to just improve on releases already done, so it’s a problem we think we can solve.

Email me if you would like a demo zain@therundown.studio We would love to work with you and give our MVP for free, in return for your thoughts so we can refine it.

Grok 3

I have it on our Rundown Studio X account and tried it out all day. No matter your politics on Elon Musk, it’s pretty good. I was able to get a quick news check on AI and Africa themed conversations on X that I found of value.

AI Skilling and Education Initiatives

AI education programs are gaining momentum, with initiatives like Google’s $5.8 million commitment to Sub-Saharan Africa continuing to roll out in 2025. Posts on X highlight events like the #AISummit2025 at Jomo Kenyatta University, emphasizing AI’s role in shaping Africa’s digital future.
AI is more than a breakthrough, it’s shaping Africa’s digital economy, education, and innovation.” –@PLPAfrica

Ethical AI and Regulation

The African Union’s Continental AI Strategy (CAIS), approved recently, is a hot topic, with discussions at the AU Summit over the weekend spotlighting ethical AI frameworks. X posts note the need to respect Africa’s cultural heritage while addressing risks like data privacy.

The African Union’s Continental AI Strategy focuses on AI skills, data availability, and infrastructure… aiming for AI that respects Africa’s culture & heritage.” – Siddharth Yadav @orfonline

Economic Impact and Job Market Shifts

AI’s economic promise—potentially adding $1.2 trillion to Africa’s GDP by 2030—is tempered by fears of job displacement, a recurring theme in X posts and web analyses. Nigeria’s MyAIFactChecker and South Africa’s AI market growth (projected at $4 billion by 2030) exemplify this dual narrative of opportunity and challenge.

The question is no longer if Africa will adopt AI, but how we will own, shape, and lead it ethically and inclusively.” –@PLPAfrica

I asked Grok 3 for broader themes of Africa AI stories I should be aware of today.

South Africa’s AI Innovation Hub Ambitions
South Africa is positioning itself as a leader in AI development in Africa, with growing investments in AI startups and research initiatives. This story is fueled by ongoing efforts to build local AI solutions, supported by a projected market growth from $5.2 billion in 2023 to $18.33 billion by 2030.
AI-Powered Language Tools Bridge Gaps in Non-English Speaking Communities
A new AI innovation spotlighted by Africanews is breaking language barriers for millions of non-English speakers across Africa. Tools like those developed by groups such as Masakhane, which has released over 400 open-source models for African languages, are gaining attention for their potential to enhance education, healthcare, and communication.
Nigeria’s FactCheckAfrica Expands MyAIFactChecker Reach
FactCheckAfrica’s AI-powered tool, MyAIFactChecker, launched in 2024, is seeing increased adoption in Nigeria and beyond to combat misinformation. X chatter highlights its credibility with sources like the World Bank, though users note challenges with high operational costs and limited WhatsApp integration.

Africa Today

Right now, Africa holds just 2.5% of the global AI market. But that modest number masks something extraordinary happening on the ground. We're seeing what I call an "innovation quadrangle" forming between South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, and Nigeria, with tech hubs concentrated in major cities. These aren't just office spaces - they're complete ecosystems where technology, talent, and capital converge to drive innovation.

The potential is staggering: AI could contribute $30 billion to Sub-Saharan Africa's economy by 2030. Even more remarkably, it could double GDP growth rates by 2035. By 2063, Africa will be home to half of the world's total working-age population. The decisions we make about AI today will determine whether this demographic dividend becomes our greatest strength or our biggest challenge.

African innovators are using AI to solve distinctly African challenges.

In Nigeria, WiniGroup has just launched something that would have seemed impossible a few years ago - Wini University in Epe, Lagos. This isn't just another tech school. It's Nigeria's audacious bid to create its own Silicon Valley, focusing entirely on next-generation technologies: blockchain, cloud computing, generative AI, and machine learning.

Meanwhile, South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand has established MIND (Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery Institute). Here's why this matters: While many institutions are rushing to apply existing AI, MIND and its 34 expert Fellows are doing something far more ambitious - they're aiming to shape the very foundations of AI science itself. This sends a powerful message: Africa isn't content to just use AI; we're determined to help create it.

In healthcare, companies like Intron Health are developing AI that understands African accents in medical settings - seemingly simple, but revolutionary for making healthcare more accessible. Lesan AI has built an Amharic translation tool, showing how AI can preserve and amplify our languages rather than diminish them. Check out our interview with their co-founder here:

In Togo, the government used AI to revolutionize their Novissi cash transfer program, identifying 57,000 recipients in 100 of the poorest towns without physical contact. In Zambia, an AI-powered tool called iVerify is fighting misinformation by detecting hate speech and fact-checking articles during elections

The Truth About Our Challenges

The Infrastructure Gap: The African Development Bank estimates we need $130-170 billion per year for infrastructure, with a financing gap of $68-100 billion. Just 27% of Sub-Saharan Africa has mobile internet connectivity, compared to 57% globally.
The Digital Divide: The numbers are stark, especially for women. According to a 2024 ImpactHER survey across 52 African countries:
- 86% of women lack basic AI proficiency
- 60% have never had digital skills training
- 50.2% lack quality internet access (37 percentage points lower than African men)
- The urban-rural divide is massive: 84.3% of rural women don't own digital devices
The Research Gap: While the US hosts 60% of top-tier AI researchers and has invested $250 billion in private funding, Africa contributes less than 5% of peer-reviewed AI papers. This isn't just an academic problem - it means AI systems are being developed without African context, potentially embedding biases and limitations.

Building Africa-First AI Infrastructure

The infrastructure challenge needs a uniquely African solution. Here's what's happening and what needs to happen:

Smart Infrastructure Investment

Instead of trying to replicate Silicon Valley's model, some African nations are pioneering a different approach. They're developing:

Edge computing solutions optimized for areas with limited connectivity
Hybrid systems that can work both online and offline
Mobile-first infrastructure that acknowledges how most Africans access the internet

The African Development Bank estimates we need $130-170 billion annually for infrastructure. But here's the opportunity: Through innovative financing mechanisms and public-private partnerships, we can build infrastructure that's specifically designed for African needs.

Green Tech Revolution

This is where it gets really interesting. Many African countries have massive potential for renewable energy development. By combining AI with green tech, we could:

Power AI infrastructure through sustainable energy sources
Create environmentally conscious data centers
Build an AI ecosystem that's both powerful and sustainable

Revolutionizing Education and Skills Development

The World Bank projects 230 million digital jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. Here's how we can prepare our workforce:

Comprehensive Skills Strategy

We need a multi-layered approach:

Basic Digital Literacy: Integrating technology education from primary school onwards
Advanced AI Training: Developing specialized university programs
Professional Development: Creating continuous learning opportunities for working professionals
Community Learning: Establishing tech hubs and community centers for grassroots education

Addressing the Gender Gap

Remember those stark statistics about women's digital access? Here's how we're seeing some countries address this:

Mobile learning programs specifically designed for women entrepreneurs
Female-focused tech bootcamps and mentorship programs
Financial incentives for women pursuing tech education
Programs that address cultural barriers to women's tech participation

Available for iOS and Android

Data Sovereignty and African AI Development

This is crucial - Africa needs to own its AI future. Here's what that looks like:

Building African Datasets

Only 0.02% of internet content is in African languages. We need:

Investment in local language data collection
Preservation of oral histories and traditional knowledge in digital form
Development of African-context AI training data
Creation of open-source African language datasets

Protecting African Data

We're seeing some promising developments:

Seven African countries have developed national AI strategies
The African Union's Continental AI Strategy focuses on data sovereignty
New partnerships between African universities and tech companies to develop local AI solutions

Creating an African AI Ecosystem

The future of African AI isn't just about technology - it's about building a complete ecosystem:

Research and Innovation

Some exciting developments:

AI labs focused on social impact in Ghana, Uganda, and South Africa
Startups like Intron Health developing Africa-specific AI solutions
Partnerships between African universities and global tech companies
Growing network of tech hubs across the continent

Regulatory Framework

We need smart regulation that:

Protects African interests while encouraging innovation
Ensures ethical AI development
Promotes cross-border collaboration
Addresses cybersecurity concerns

Leveraging Africa's Unique Advantages

Africa has several advantages that could help it leapfrog traditional AI development:

Young Population

By 2063, Africa will have half the world's working-age population. This means:

A massive pool of potential AI developers and innovators
Natural early adopters of new technology
Fresh perspectives on AI development
Opportunity to shape AI education from the ground up

Mobile-First Development

Africa's mobile-first approach could actually be an advantage:

Less legacy infrastructure to deal with
More flexible deployment options
Better positioned for edge computing solutions
Natural alignment with global trends toward mobile AI

The Path Forward

The key to Africa's AI future isn't just about copying what's worked elsewhere - it's about creating solutions that work for Africa. Here's what needs to happen next:

Investment in Africa-specific AI solutions
Development of local AI talent
Creation of appropriate regulatory frameworks
Protection of African data sovereignty
Building sustainable AI infrastructure

The potential is enormous - AI could contribute $30 billion to Sub-Saharan Africa's economy by 2030. But more importantly, it could help solve some of our continent's most pressing challenges, from healthcare access to educational inequality.

Let me know what you think about Africa's AI future in the comments below. And if you're working on AI projects in Africa, I'd love to hear your story. Subscribe to The Rundown for more insights into how technology is transforming Africa.

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