At the inaugural Global AI Summit held in Kigali on April 4, 2025, African nations collectively launched the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence, signaling a unified commitment to leveraging AI for economic transformation, innovation, and inclusive development. The declaration, supported by 54 signatories including the African Union, sets the foundation for a cohesive continental strategy on AI governance, data protection, infrastructure development, and ethical innovation. The summit was marked by strong international collaboration, with over 20 African heads of state and key stakeholders present, showcasing a powerful political will to position Africa at the forefront of AI leadership.

A Bold Vision for Africa’s AI Future

The Africa Declaration on AI establishes a common framework aimed at aligning national AI strategies with continental goals, while advancing sovereignty in data and technology. The declaration emphasizes ethical, inclusive, and sustainable AI development tailored to Africa’s diverse needs, cultures, and development priorities. It draws inspiration from prior global AI gatherings, including those in Bletchley Park, Seoul, and Paris, while anchoring itself in the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and broader sustainable development frameworks.

Governance Through the Africa AI Council

A major institutional milestone was the launch of the Africa AI Council, tasked with overseeing the continent’s AI governance and policy implementation. Co-chaired by the African Union Commission and the International Telecommunication Union, and housed under the Smart Africa Steering Committee, the Council will coordinate public, private, academic, and civil society actors. Its primary focus will be to develop AI strategies in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, and agriculture, with a roadmap expected at the 2025 Transform Africa Summit.

Empowering Talent Through Education and Research

To ensure Africa’s long-term competitiveness in AI, the declaration outlines ambitious goals for education and capacity building. It calls for continent-wide curriculum development, enhanced AI literacy programs, and strengthened research institutions, particularly through PhD initiatives and international collaborations. An African AI Scientific Panel will be formed to guide evidence-based policymaking and contextual research, integrating voices from across the continent and the diaspora.

Securing Data and Strengthening Digital Infrastructure

The declaration highlights Africa’s commitment to data sovereignty, calling for robust data governance aligned with the AU Data Policy Framework and national data laws. It proposes the creation of open, interoperable African data sets in key sectors, along with safeguards for privacy, ethics, and intellectual property rights. Simultaneously, the continent will invest in distributed high-performance computing infrastructure, regional data centers, and secure, low-carbon networks to support AI at scale.

Creating Markets and Catalyzing Investment

In a landmark move, a $60 billion Africa AI Fund was announced to accelerate the growth of AI enterprises, infrastructure, and talent pipelines. This fund, backed by public, private, and philanthropic capital, will help establish regional AI hubs and regulatory sandboxes to incubate and scale African-led innovation. The declaration also emphasizes an “Africa-first” procurement strategy, leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area to facilitate cross-border digital trade and adoption of AI solutions.

Fostering Ethical and Inclusive AI Development

The guiding principles of the declaration prioritize human dignity, environmental sustainability, and the protection of rights and freedoms in AI deployment. It promotes collaboration across borders and sectors, aiming to ensure that AI technologies are designed and governed with inclusivity and cultural relevance at their core. These values are embedded in commitments to transparency, explainability, and equitable access to AI’s benefits across the continent.

Global Endorsements and Strategic Partnerships

The summit saw strong support from organizations like the Gates Foundation, which backed the initiative’s early development. Key facilitators included Qhala, Smart Africa, and Rwanda’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), who worked with stakeholders from over 50 African countries to shape the declaration. Leaders such as Shikoh Gitau of Qhala and H.E. Lerato Mataboge of the African Union Commission underscored the declaration’s transformative potential in advancing Africa’s digital future.

The Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence marks a watershed moment in the continent’s digital trajectory, laying the groundwork for sovereign, ethical, and scalable AI adoption. With governance structures, investment mechanisms, and research initiatives in place, Africa is poised to shape its own narrative in the global AI ecosystem. As the continent prepares to unveil its detailed roadmap in 2025, this bold declaration affirms Africa’s intent to lead with purpose, innovation, and unity in the age of artificial intelligence.