Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Leapfrogging Potential in Africa

This research paper examines the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to enable technological leapfrogging in Africa. It highlights the economic opportunities, specific sector applications—particularly in tax administration and agriculture—and the critical infrastructure and policy requirements needed to realize these gains, including the AI 10 Billion Initiative.

• AI is identified as a major driver for economic growth in Africa, with the African Development Bank estimating that inclusive deployment could add up to US$ 1 trillion to the continent's GDP by 2035, representing nearly one-third of its current economic output.
• AI's leapfrogging potential allows Africa to bypass traditional constraints in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and education. For example, AI-enabled advisory systems can provide farmers with real-time data on weather, crops, and markets, while AI chatbots on basic mobile platforms can offer information at lower data costs than traditional web searches, aiding digital inclusion in low-connectivity areas.
• In the public sector, AI is being used to modernize tax administration. In South Africa, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) utilizes predictive analytics, data matching, and pattern recognition to detect tax evasion and prioritize audits, shifting the system from reactive enforcement to proactive compliance.
• The AI 10 Billion Initiative, launched by the African Development Bank Group and the UNDP at the Nairobi AI Forum 2026, aims to mobilize US$ 10 billion by 2035. This initiative focuses on AI infrastructure, skills development, and policy frameworks with the goal of unlocking up to 40 million jobs.
• Despite the potential, AI adoption is uneven. While over 40% of African institutions have experimented with AI, significant gaps in computing infrastructure, digital skills, investment, and regulatory frameworks persist, which could widen existing inequalities.

APA

Yeboua, K. (2026). Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Leapfrogging Potential in Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=09-leapfrog&topic=06-artificial-intelligence

Chicago

Yeboua, Kouassi. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Leapfrogging Potential in Africa. Institute for Security Studies, 2026. https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=09-leapfrog&topic=06-artificial-intelligence.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Yeboua |first1=Kouassi |title=Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Leapfrogging Potential in Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=25 May 2026 |url=https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=09-leapfrog&topic=06-artificial-intelligence |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yeboua2026artificial, author = {Yeboua, Kouassi}, title = {{Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Leapfrogging Potential in Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://futures.issafrica.org/thematic/guide.pdf?thematic=09-leapfrog&topic=06-artificial-intelligence}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }