(AfDB) - One side event at the African Development Bank Group’s 2025 Annual Meetings unpacked the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a powerful tool to advance inclusive and sustainable development across the African continent.

Held under the theme: “The AI Revolution: How Will AI Support the Delivery of the African Development Bank’s 2024–2033 Ten-Year Strategy and the Transformation of African Economies?”, the 90-minute session convened leading voices from across sectors. The event was co-hosted with Google AI Research.

At the heart of the discussion was the question: What will it take for Africa to become AI-ready? which was the central theme of the high-level panel discussion as part of the event.

In his opening remarks, Solomon Quaynor, Vice-President for Private Sector, Infrastructure & Industrialization of the African Development Bank underscored the critical role of digital transformation in shaping Africa’s future: “AI is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for Africa’s competitiveness, resilience, and long-term prosperity,” he said.

Caroline Kende-Robb, Senior Director of Strategy and Operational Policies at the Bank, framed the conversation within the context of the Bank’s 2024–2033 Ten-Year Strategy.

She stressed that “Investing in youth and data infrastructure is no longer optional—these are the foundations upon which Africa must build its AI future.”  Her remarks echoed the strategy’s call to leapfrog development through innovation, anchored in African realities and driven by African talent.

Following her intervention, Abdoulaye Diack, Program Manager at Google AI Research Africa, highlighted the transformative potential of AI to address structural challenges and unlock progress in agriculture, education, climate adaptation, and public health.

Diack emphasized the importance of contextualizing AI for African environments, warning that “without local data and inclusive models, Africa risks becoming a passive consumer rather than an active creator of AI solutions.”

Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Digital Transition and Digitalization, advocated for regional coordination and harmonized policy frameworks to enable responsible, cross-border implementation of AI technologies.

Robert Skjodt, Group CEO of Raxio Group, focused on the critical need for robust digital infrastructure—especially local data centers—to support the scale and speed required for Africa’s AI ambitions.

Ousmane Fall, Director of Private Sector Transaction Support at the Bank, called for the development of bankable, scalable digital infrastructure projects that can attract long-term investment.

Moustapha Cissé, CEO of Kera Health Platforms, and a respected pioneer in African AI research, stressed the need for ethical frameworks and AI systems that reflect African social, cultural, and healthcare contexts.

Muthoni Karubiu, Chief Operations Officer at Amini, concluded the panel with a call to enhance data sovereignty, especially in the context of agriculture and climate action, by ensuring access to localized and context-specific environmental data.

Harnessing the power of AI for Africa’s success

A strong consensus emerged across the panel - for Africa to harness AI effectively, it must focus on three foundational pillars:

• Human Capital: Equip the next generation with AI literacy and professional expertise.
• Data Infrastructure: Build the digital backbone for connectivity, storage, and secure data exchange.
• Localized Data: Train AI systems on African realities, including languages, culture, and societal needs.

With Africa holding just 1.3% of global data storage capacity and lagging in digital readiness, speakers agreed that the continent is at a crossroads and must urgently make the choice to invest now, or risk falling further behind.

As Africa moves forward in artificial intelligence, the African Development Bank reaffirms its commitment to shaping a digital future that is inclusive, sovereign, and anchored in shared prosperity.