Until recently, the modernisation of customs processes was a race to digitise paperwork and automate manual workflows. With that phase largely complete, we are entering a far more consequential era: the shift from automated systems to agentic ones. We are moving toward systems that not only follow rules, but also largely configure themselves, adapt to regulatory shifts in real-time, […]

Big data analytics and AI company Presight, majority-owned by Abu Dhabi technology group G42, has signed separate memoranda of understanding with the governments of Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon to support national digital transformation programs, extending the company’s African presence to at least 11 markets. The agreements cover the design and deployment of AI-driven […]

Nigeria’s government has launched CLHEEAN, an AI-powered mobile application designed to improve interactions between citizens and public institutions, the National Orientation Agency announced March 30. The platform functions as a virtual assistant accessible via mobile devices, allowing users to access information on public policies, ask questions and interact directly with government...

African economies have repeatedly posted strong growth rates but failed to convert that momentum into structural economic transformation, largely because growth has been driven by the accumulation of labor and capital rather than improvements in productivity — a gap that frontier technologies including artificial intelligence could help close, according to the 2026 Economic Report on […]

South Africa’s Cabinet has approved the publication of a draft national artificial intelligence policy for public comment, with full implementation expected in the 2027-2028 financial year, marking a significant step in the country’s years-long effort to establish a regulatory framework for the technology. “The aim of the AI policy is to ensure that both the […]

Tunisia and Algeria have launched a shared digital platform designed to accelerate collaboration in artificial intelligence research, connecting universities, research laboratories and institutions across both countries through common digital tools. The platform was announced by Moez Chafra, president of the University of Tunis El Manar, at the second International Forum on Emerging and...

A Mozambican researcher has been named among the world’s top 10 young scientists by UNESCO, marking a significant milestone for the country’s scientific community and highlighting the growing contribution of African researchers to global innovation. Alexandre de Fátima Cobre was recognized for his work applying artificial intelligence to improve diagnostics and healthcare delivery — a […]

Uganda’s Ministry of ICT and National Guidance has signed a three-year memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Health Industry Foundation, based in Hangzhou, China, and the Prince Kimbugwe Foundation, with a target of equipping at least 50,000 Ugandan youths with digital and artificial intelligence skills. The agreement, signed at the ministry’s offices, rests on […]

African nations should borrow, increase domestic revenue collection and tap pension and sovereign wealth funds to develop the infrastructure needed to benefit from the global AI boom, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa said in a report released Thursday. The report, released at a meeting of African finance ministers in Morocco, warned that the […]

Kenya is making a strategic push to establish itself as Africa’s premier artificial intelligence investment destination, with government officials, investors and ecosystem leaders outlining a comprehensive approach at a high-level roundtable held during the Kenya International Investment Conference 2026 in Nairobi. Organized by the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology and KenInvest in...

Mozambique has appointed Adilson dos Santos Cousin Gomes as chairman of the board of its newly established Digital Transformation and Innovation Agency, known by its Portuguese acronym ATDI, as the government accelerates a sweeping digital modernization agenda. The appointment was announced this week, days after the agency was created by government decree earlier this month. […]

The City of Cape Town is seeking legal approval to introduce AI-powered cameras capable of automatically detecting motorists driving without seatbelts or using mobile phones behind the wheel, marking a significant shift in how traffic enforcement is managed in South Africa. The proposed system would move road safety monitoring from reactive, human-led enforcement toward automated, […]

Africa Automation Indaba 2026 is close to selling out with less than two months remaining until the event, organizers announced, as registrations reach an all-time high for the continent’s leading industrial automation and digital transformation gathering. The two-day conference takes place May 13-14 at the Radisson Collection Hotel at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, […]

Three financial technology companies have joined forces to launch TrustNET, a unified AI-driven platform designed to deliver end-to-end fraud prevention, compliance management and identity verification for banks and regulators across West Africa. The platform combines BlueSPACE’s regional financial technology expertise, INETCO’s real-time payment fraud prevention and transaction monitoring,...

A small research team at Boston University has developed a deep learning model that outperforms state-of-the-art European weather prediction systems in forecasting rainfall in tropical West Africa — a region where unreliable forecasts have long hampered farmers, water managers and disaster response teams. Led by Yves Atchadé, a professor of mathematics, statistics and computing and […]

Ghana’s government has approved a $250 million investment to establish a dedicated artificial intelligence computing center, as the country accelerates efforts to position itself as a leading hub for responsible AI development in Africa. Communications, Digital Technologies and Innovation Minister Samuel Nartey George announced the initiative Tuesday during a national stakeholder meeting...

The Inter-University Council for East Africa has launched a regional network to strengthen artificial intelligence capacity across universities in East Africa, in collaboration with the East African Science and Technology Commission and German development agency GIZ. The Regional Network on Artificial Intelligence in Education and Research was unveiled March 30 during the fourth East African […]

U.S.-listed digital infrastructure firm Equinix plans to build additional data centers in Johannesburg and Cape Town, adding approximately 160 megawatts of capacity as global infrastructure firms position for Africa’s growing digital economy. Equinix opened its first South African data center in Johannesburg in 2024 and has since acquired additional land in both cities. Sandile Dube, […]

As artificial intelligence reshapes economies and power structures across Africa, women’s representation in leadership must translate into genuine influence over how the technology is designed and governed — not merely symbolic inclusion, senior leaders and young African women warned at a recent intergenerational dialogue convened by MTN Group. The forum brought together Sanda Ojiambo,...

Integrated marketing and communications agency Ascent Africa has acquired a stake in Clarence AI, an Africa-built artificial intelligence platform designed to help organizations monitor public narrative, analyze sentiment and manage digital engagement in real time. The acquisition marks Ascent Africa’s move into intelligence-led marketing and communications, integrating AI-powered insight...

South African businesses are not short on AI ambition but many are struggling to move from conversation to execution, or from proof of concept into production. While CIOs increasingly understand the potential of artificial intelligence, CFOs are often left unconvinced, unsure whether proposed solutions will deliver measurable value or simply add another line item to […]