AI in Africa: Realities and Risks

At dawn in northern Kenya, a young solar technician checks performance data from a mini-grid using her smartphone before households begin their day. Hundreds of kilometres away, a Rwandan youth group uses drones and satellite mapping to monitor a restored wetland threatened by encroachment. In coastal Mozambique, farmers receive digital alerts warning of approaching floods, giving them precious hours to protect crops, livestock, and livelihoods. These are not scenes from Africa’s distant future. They are glimpses of a transformation already unfolding — one where digital innovation meets climate action. As Africa marks Africa Day 2026 under the theme “63 Years of Unity, Integration, and Development,” the continent faces a defining challenge: how can digitalisation be leveraged to create green jobs, strengthen climate resilience, support early warning systems, and build lasting prosperity for its young people? This is in line with what the AU secretariat has noted,’ Under this year’s t...