Africa must own its AI, data to drive growth, experts say – Businessday NG

… UNILAG’s Machine Intelligence Research Group holds ICAIR 2026 conference

Africa must take greater ownership of artificial intelligence (AI) development and its vast data resources to unlock new opportunities for economic growth, drive innovation and strengthen its competitiveness in the global digital economy, experts have said.

The call was made at the 2026 International Conference on Artificial Intelligence Research (ICAIR), hosted by the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where researchers, technology experts, policymakers and industry stakeholders stressed the need for home-grown AI solutions that reflect Africa’s realities, address its development challenges and reduce dependence on foreign technologies.

The three-day conference, themed “Artificial Intelligence for Africa’s Sustainable Economic Growth,” brings together academics, researchers, technology professionals, industry leaders, policymakers and students to examine how artificial intelligence and robotics can accelerate innovation, strengthen accountability and address Africa’s developmental challenges.

Sennaike Oladipupo, the chairman of the local organising committee and principal researcher at the Nigeria AI Research Lab (NAIRL), UNILAG, described artificial intelligence as one of the defining developments of the present era, with the potential to transform how people work, solve problems and interact with technology.

“Africa shouldn’t continue to depend on technologies developed outside the continent, stressing the need to build indigenous solutions that reflect local realities, priorities and values,” Oladipupo said, identifying agriculture, healthcare and education as critical sectors where AI could help address longstanding challenges, improve service delivery and stimulate economic growth across the continent.

Folasade Ogunsola, the vice-chancellor at UNILAG, represented by Matthew Ilori, the deputy vice-chancellor in charge of academics and research, highlighted the widening technological gap between Africa and more advanced economies, particularly in the development and availability of critical computing infrastructure, including central processing units (CPUs) and graphics processing units (GPUs).

She called on African governments to recognise the urgency of the digital divide and commit greater resources towards building local technological capacity and urged universities and research institutions to empower young people to develop innovative solutions and contribute meaningfully to the continent’s digital transformation while re-affirming the university’s commitment to equipping students with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in a technology-driven world.

Kanshukan Rajaratnam, director of data science and computational thinking and professor of operations research and analytics at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, delivered the keynote address titled “From AI Research to Real-World Impact: Building Africa’s Capacity for Data-Driven Innovation and Economic Growth,” examining the opportunities and structural challenges confronting Africa in the adoption and development of artificial intelligence.

He noted that while Africa possesses a youthful population and significant market opportunities, the continent’s ability to harness AI remains constrained by inadequate infrastructure, limited investment in research and development, and the migration of highly skilled technical professionals.

“Meaningful AI adoption must go beyond importing technologies or implementing isolated pilot projects. Rather, African countries must invest in quality local datasets, develop systems that understand African languages and contexts, and create solutions that respond to the needs of their communities,” he said.

The keynote also underscored the importance of collaboration among governments, universities and industry in building sustainable innovation ecosystems, retaining technical talent and ensuring that research translates into measurable economic and social impact.

Rajaratnam emphasised that technological advancement must remain centred on human needs and objectives. He called for robust benchmarking, comprehensive evaluation and practical testing of AI systems, noting that strong performance in standardised assessments does not necessarily guarantee effectiveness in real-world situations.

A major highlight of the opening day was a panel discussion on “Data Sovereignty in Africa: Economic Value, Quality of Service and the Future of Research,” which examined the relationship between data ownership, digital infrastructure, economic development and technological independence.

Chika Yinka-Banjo, professor of AI and Robotics and pioneer director of AI UNIPOD, UNILAG, moderated the session, which featured Olusola Teniola, director of Strategic Business Initiatives, ipNX Nigeria Limited and Nigeria National Coordinator for the Alliance for Affordable Internet; Akanimoh Ojo, managing director, Source Microfinance Bank Limited; and  Sam Immanuel, chief executive officer of Semicolon.

The panellists raised concerns about Africa’s limited control over the economic value generated from its data, noting that individuals, businesses and institutions across the continent produce valuable digital information, while a significant proportion of the benefits from its storage, processing and commercial application accrue to foreign technology companies.

Ojo stressed the need for stronger data governance frameworks, local analytical capacity and clearly defined accountability mechanisms to ensure that African institutions can exercise greater control over their data and benefit from its commercial value.

Teniola highlighted Nigeria’s dependence on foreign telecommunications infrastructure, hardware, software and international internet routing. He advocated increased investment in local data centres, domestic internet traffic exchange and indigenous technology development, noting that these measures could improve service quality, create employment and strengthen the country’s technological resilience.

He also emphasised the importance of reliable connectivity, low-latency networks and locally developed software, particularly in sectors such as agriculture and financial services.

The discussion also examined the growing demand for technology professionals and the shortage of experienced talent in specialised areas. Panellists called for practical, market-relevant training, stronger university-industry partnerships and opportunities that would enable young people to translate technical knowledge into commercially viable solutions.

 

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