Rwanda's AI Roadmap: Build, Not Just Use
How Hon. Minister Paula Ingabire is transforming Africa's digital landscape through talent development and a push for women-led innovation
Our next Embedded podcast has dropped, and it's a fantastic conversation I had with Rwanda's Minister of ICT and Innovation, Hon. Paula Ingabire. Recorded during the Global AI Summit on Africa in Kigali and produced in partnership with the Rwanda Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
My firm belief is that money follows talent. Without the right talent, it will be difficult to create that investment ecosystem that we're looking for.
The backdrop to our conversation was the historic Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence, launched at the summit with a commitment towards a $60 billion fund for AI infrastructure, scale African enterprises, build an AI talent pipeline, and strengthen domestic research.
Watch the full episode:
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Women must be players not only consumers
For me, the Minister’s message to young women was definitely one of the most important moments in our conversation. The distinction between users and builders is crucial. Minister Ingabire isn't satisfied with women merely consuming AI products.
We want to make sure that women are not just seen as potential users of these AI solutions. What we want is to see more women building these solutions, leading in the AI age, but also being active players in this ecosystem and profiting absolutely
Rwanda is charting a different path
Minister Ingabire shared how they're not waiting for perfect conditions - they're building with what they have, creating African solutions to African problems. She talk abut how the continent's youth dividend becomes an asset rather than just a demographic statistic.
Rwanda isn't waiting for these advantages to just materialize on their own. They've established partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University for Master's programs in AI, the Africa Institute for Mathematical Sciences for PhD work, and created a Coding Academy bringing 13-year-olds into a three-year program. Starting to skill up the next generation of AI professionals is great forward thinking and will be crucial for a successful digital future.
🌍 Rwanda's approach to leading Africa's AI development is through strategic partnerships and collaborations
🎓 Building talent through programs like Carnegie Mellon University, Africa Institute for Mathematical Sciences, and the Coding Academy for 13-year-olds
💰 The AI hubs with major international partners to support proven AI solutions
🔍 Rwanda's ethical framework emphasizing transparency, privacy, and cultural context in AI development
🏘️ How Rwanda is using AI to bridge the urban-rural divide, particularly in healthcare delivery
👩💻 The importance of women not just using AI solutions but leading in their design and implementation
🚀 The role of local startups in ensuring cultural context and nuances are incorporated into AI solutions
The Embedded team with the Hon. Minister in Kigali
Small Market, Big Impact
One of the most refreshing parts of our conversation was Minister Ingabire's take on the misperceptions investors have about Rwanda, that need adjustment:
"The biggest misconception I feel like most companies have, is they come looking at us from a lens of market size, but those that have already come and at least experimented to work with us, one thing they quickly learn is that with Rwanda, things move very fast."
Speed of implementation becomes the counterbalance to market size. Partners come to Rwanda not necessarily for its population, but because it's where they can develop use cases more rapidly, then use those success stories to scale across the continent. This is another area that she thinks leaders in emerging markets should pay attention to. Instead of getting trapped in the "we're too small" (Rwanda) or "we lack resources" (Africa) mindset, Rwanda shows how turning perceived weaknesses into strategic advantages can change the entire narrative.
During the summit, Rwanda launched an AI scaling hub with The Gates Foundation, starting with $7.5 million to support proven AI solutions. You can read more about that here. This is just the beginning, and as Minister Ingabire points out, startups will need much more - but the groundwork is being laid.
Watch the full episode:
Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide
I asked Minister Ingabire about balancing cutting-edge tech visions with rural realities, a topic that is often forgotten when talking about developing tech sectors in emerging markets. We can’t have a one size fits all approach to the digital economy and I really enjoyed how Minister Ingabire's response highlighted ways Rwanda is using AI specifically to address rural challenges:
"In fact, when you look at some of the AI use cases that we're going to start with, a lot of them are focused on the underserved areas, because we know the places where you have fundamental, systematic problems and challenges of infrastructure and skills, that's where you see the value of AI coming in to bridge that gap."
What's Next on /Embedded
Don't miss our next episode with Kate Kallot - an inspiration to all women, the real deal and powerhouse for our continent. She’s the CEO of Amini. We had an awesome chat and I learned a huge amount from her.
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