AI in Africa: Key Concerns and Policy Considerations for the Future of the Continent

This policy brief examines the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa, highlighting the tension between the potential for socio-economic growth and the risks posed by foreign technology monopolies, precarious digital labour, and human rights violations. It analyzes emerging national AI strategies in countries like Egypt, Mauritius, and Rwanda, while arguing that African policymakers must prioritize local capacity, inclusive infrastructure, and gender-sensitive labour protections to ensure AI serves national developmental priorities rather than external interests.

• While AI is projected to contribute US$15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, the benefits in Africa are largely captured by Chinese and Global North 'Big Tech' companies, despite the continent providing essential natural resources, labour, and skills for the AI supply chain.
• AI-driven digital ID and biometric systems in Africa have been linked to predatory financial practices and human rights abuses. In South Africa, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) used a system that allowed the company Net1 to use beneficiary data for predatory loans, while in Uganda, Huawei-developed facial recognition was used during the 2020 elections to track and arrest opposition supporters of Bobi Wine.
• The global AI economy has created new forms of precarious labour in Africa, including 'click work' (micro digital labour) and gig economy roles. In the Dadaab refugee camp near Kenya's eastern border, residents perform low-paid data labelling for Big Tech platforms without fair labour rights. Additionally, gig workers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia face limited job security and intrusive algorithmic surveillance.
• China is the primary exporter of AI technologies to Africa through the Belt and Road Initiative and the Digital Silk Road Initiative. As of May 2021, 40 of 54 African countries had signed Belt and Road agreements, leading to the implementation of 5G networks, cloud computing, and surveillance infrastructure.
• Several African nations have launched AI strategies: Mauritius (2018) focused on manufacturing, healthcare, fintech, and agriculture; Egypt (2021) prioritizes government efficiency and capacity building; and Rwanda (expected 2022) focuses on enablers, accelerators, and safeguards. Additionally, SMARTAfrica and the South African government published the Blueprint on Artificial Intelligence for Africa in 2021.
• There is a growing trend toward data localisation in Africa to drive local economic growth and innovation. For example, the Kenyan Data Protection Act of 2019 requires copies of personal data transferred abroad to be stored domestically, and South Africa has a Draft Data and Cloud Policy with similar requirements for all generated data.
• Current AI policy responses often overlook the specific risks to women, who are more susceptible to job loss from automation due to their prevalence in low-skilled, repetitive roles. This is compounded by a digital gender divide driven by social factors and patriarchy, which limits women's access to the technologies and reskilling programs needed to adapt.
• The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) creates a dual standard of protection in Africa; while it protects the data of Europeans processed in Africa, it may exclude small African start-ups from international markets due to high technical security costs and does not provide the same level of protection for Africans' own data.

APA

Adams, R. (2022). AI in Africa: Key Concerns and Policy Considerations for the Future of the Continent. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/ai-in-africa-key-concerns-and-policy-considerations-for-the-future-of-the-continent

Chicago

Adams, Rachel. AI in Africa: Key Concerns and Policy Considerations for the Future of the Continent. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2022. https://afripoli.org/ai-in-africa-key-concerns-and-policy-considerations-for-the-future-of-the-continent.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Adams |first1=Rachel |title=AI in Africa: Key Concerns and Policy Considerations for the Future of the Continent |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=30 May 2022 |url=https://afripoli.org/ai-in-africa-key-concerns-and-policy-considerations-for-the-future-of-the-continent |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{adams2022africa, author = {Adams, Rachel}, title = {{AI in Africa: Key Concerns and Policy Considerations for the Future of the Continent}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2022}, month = may, url = {https://afripoli.org/ai-in-africa-key-concerns-and-policy-considerations-for-the-future-of-the-continent}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }