• Sub-Saharan Africa’s low AI infrastructure scores reveal not just gaps, but a major opportunity for coordinated investment and regional digital growth.

• National AI initiatives are expanding across Africa, signaling momentum that can scale faster through shared infrastructure and policy alignment.

• The AU’s AI strategy positions regional cooperation as a pathway for Africa to enter the global AI economy on a scale and with resilience.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains at an early stage of AI infrastructure development, but the scale of the gap also underscores a significant opportunity for strategic investment and regional collaboration. According to the 2025 Government AI Readiness Index by Oxford Insights, no country in the region scores above 56 out of 100 in AI infrastructure, compared with 89.27 for the United States and 76.92 for China.

The Index, which evaluates 195 countries across 69 indicators, shows that many Sub-Saharan African countries face structural constraints in electricity reliability, data centre capacity, computing hardware, and high-speed internet. Kenya, South Africa, Mauritius, and Nigeria rank among the region’s leaders—placing 65th, 67th, 71st, and 72nd globally—while South Africa tops the regional AI infrastructure ranking with a score of 55.23. Mauritius (46.19), Seychelles (41.22), Botswana (40.80), and Ghana (40.60) follow.

At the other end of the spectrum, countries such as Burundi, Chad, Niger, and the Republic of Congo score below 20, reflecting limited foundational infrastructure. Overall, half of Sub-Saharan African countries score below 35, highlighting the urgency of targeted action.

These results point not only to technological shortfalls, but also to broader development challenges—including underdeveloped talent pipelines and evolving policy frameworks. Addressing these gaps presents an opportunity to align investments in digital infrastructure, energy systems, education, research, and regulation. With the right coordination, such efforts could significantly accelerate AI adoption and unlock productivity gains across sectors.

Encouragingly, momentum is building. Ethiopia allocated $7.7 million to AI in 2025; Rwanda partnered with the Gates Foundation to launch an AI Scaling Hub and hosted the 2025 Global AI Summit on Africa; Nigeria unveiled its own AI Scaling Hub and national roadmap; and Kenya’s startup ecosystem continues to attract regional and international investors. While these initiatives have yet to translate into major improvements in infrastructure scores, they signal growing political commitment and institutional learning.

The African Union’s 2024 continental AI strategy builds on this momentum by recognizing the limits of fragmented national approaches. It calls for policy harmonization and shared infrastructure—such as regional supercomputing facilities and joint data center development—to pool resources, reduce costs, and accelerate progress.

Globally, other emerging economies—including India, Brazil, and Indonesia—already score above 56, while smaller countries such as Estonia, Uruguay, and Lithuania demonstrate how focused strategies can yield strong results. In the Middle East, nations like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have leveraged capital and coordination to rapidly build AI ecosystems, offering models that can be adapted to African realities.

Infrastructure remains the cornerstone of AI readiness. Reliable power, affordable computing capacity, and robust connectivity are prerequisites for deploying AI in public services, enabling research, and allowing startups to scale. While 29 African countries have developed or are drafting AI strategies, translating ambition into impact will require sustained, large-scale investment and deeper regional cooperation.

The 2025 Index makes one point clear: Sub-Saharan Africa’s AI infrastructure gap is real—but so is the opportunity. With coordinated action and long-term commitment, the region can position itself not on the margins, but as an active participant in the global AI economy.

Hikmatu Bilali, Edited by Idriss Linge