• The UAE launched a $1 billion “AI for Development” initiative to expand AI infrastructure and services across Africa.

• Officials said the investment will improve digital infrastructure, public services, and productivity through access to computing power, technical expertise, and global partnerships.

• Africa accounts for less than 3% of the global AI market, with major disparities in policy, connectivity, and energy infrastructure across the continent.

Africa currently contributes less than 3% of the global artificial intelligence market. The UAE seeks to close this gap by helping the continent build AI-ready infrastructure and services in priority sectors such as education, agriculture, and healthcare.

The United Arab Emirates announced on Saturday, 22 November, the launch of a $1 billion initiative to develop artificial intelligence infrastructure and applications across Africa. Officials presented the program, named “AI for Development,” during the G20 Summit in Johannesburg.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Saeed bin Mubarak Al Hajeri unveiled the plan and emphasized the long-term objective.

“This investment will develop digital infrastructure, improve public services and increase productivity,” he said. He added: “It will provide access to AI computing power, technical expertise and international partnerships. We consider AI not only as an industry of the future but also as the cornerstone of humanity’s future.”

Al Hajeri said the initiative will support African governments in deploying projects in education, agriculture, healthcare, digital identity and climate adaptation. He noted that the UAE has become the fourth-largest investor in Africa, with commitments spanning renewable energy, logistics and strategic minerals.

“Our objective is now to ensure that these capabilities benefit our partners in the Global South, and that no country is left behind in the AI era,” he said.

Mastercard estimated Africa’s AI market at $4.51 billion in 2025 in a report published last August. The continent’s progress remains uneven, with South Africa, Egypt, Rwanda, Mauritius, Kenya and Nigeria advancing faster in terms of national strategies and regulatory frameworks for ethical AI deployment.

However, many countries lag because of weak infrastructure, unequal Internet access, limited energy capacity and incomplete governance frameworks.

The UAE is not a member of the G20, which gathers the world’s leading economies. President Cyril Ramaphosa invited the Gulf state as South Africa hosted the summit for the first time on African soil. The invitation reflects the growing strategic role of Gulf investment on the continent.

This article was initially published in French by Walid Kéfi

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum