ADIF Stocktake Webinar Series
AI and Jobs in Africa: Opportunity or Disruption?
Date: 26 February 2026 11:00-12:30 Hrs
Location: Online, via Zoom
At a glance: Over 200 participants from government, the private sector, academia, and development institutions gathered to examine whether artificial intelligence (AI) will serve as Africa’s opportunity for inclusive development or become a source of disruption. As discussions on AI’s impact continue, the emphasis must remain on practical, context‑aware solutions that respond to African realities. While AI readiness varies significantly across countries, substantial investment in digital infrastructure, skills development, local innovation, and ethical governance is still needed to fully harness AI’s potential for the continent.
What is ADIF: The webinar is part of the pre-forum stock-take series for the Africa Development Impact Forum (ADIF), which will convene in June 2026 under the theme: Best Practices and Innovative Solutions for Job Creation in Africa. ADIF is designed as an action-oriented platform, explicitly focused on bridging the gap between applied research and policy implementation. Its three-stage model combines:
-
Evidence-based dialogue and challenge-setting,
-
Co-design and policy commitments at the annual forum, and
-
A 12-month “Implementation Clock” to support learning, monitoring, and scaling what works.
Key insights
-
AI’s potential for Africa is significant but uneven.
AI can unlock major productivity gains in agriculture, healthcare, logistics, finance, and manufacturing.
Despite over 2,400 AI-focused organisations on the continent, readiness varies widely, with only Mauritius, Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa currently considered “AI-ready.”
-
Growing Youth Population is a Strategic Asset.
Africa’s young population is projected to grow by 450 million by 2035, offering a strong workforce for an AI-enabled economy—if skills development is prioritized.
-
Major challenges persist.
Infrastructure gaps, low digital literacy, limited AI education, poor data governance, and absence of strong legal frameworks remain key barriers.
-
AI can drive job creation—if paired with skills investment
AI adoption can create jobs in SMEs and across sectors undergoing digital transformation. However, routine jobs face higher displacement risk, underscoring the need for large-scale STEM and digital skills training, especially for youth and women.
-
Local innovation and frugal AI are essential
Africa’s future depends on locally developed, cost‑effective AI solutions suited to its context—particularly in agriculture, energy, and healthcare.
-
Data governance is a critical missing link
Speakers highlighted the need for: stronger privacy laws; data‑sharing frameworks; quality data infrastructure; recognition and protection of data workers.
-
Policies must be strategic and sector-focused
Rather than broad investments, support should target high‑potential sectors where Africa can build export‑oriented AI‑enabled services.
-
Collaboration and a mindset shift are needed
AI development is a continuous process requiring cooperation between governments, academia, and the private sector.
Leaders must rethink how they approach digital transformation to fully leverage AI opportunities.
Speakers’ key messages
Tamiwe Kayuni – Moderator
“We need grounded, evidence‑based dialogue to understand how AI will reshape labour markets and what policies can guide this transition, while ensuring our focus remains on practical, context‑aware solutions that work for African realities.”
Karima Bounemra Ben Soltane, IDEP Director – Opening & Closing
“Africa is building an emerging AI ecosystem, but unlocking its full potential requires bold investment in infrastructure, research, and human capacity, alongside a mindset shift among leaders who must see AI not merely as a tool but as a strategic enabler of development, while the ECA remains committed to supporting countries in crafting strong AI strategies, governance frameworks, and research capacity, recognizing that AI development is a continuous journey that demands collaboration, dialogue, and concrete action.”
Camila Talam – Presenter
“AI is Africa’s fourth industrial revolution, with the potential to add up to 3% economic growth if the continent invests in infrastructure, skills, and frugal, context‑appropriate innovations in key sectors, but with only a few countries currently ‘AI‑ready,’ closing the readiness gap is vital to ensure AI creates opportunities—boosting productivity and transforming SMEs—while managing the risks of routine job displacement.”
Jake Kendall – Panelist
-
“Africa should double down on sectors where it already has strength, as strategic, targeted investments will outperform broad ecosystem spending, with AI‑enabled service industries positioning the continent as a competitive exporter that creates sustainable jobs and new growth pathways—an outcome that depends on precise, data‑driven support rather than wide but shallow investments.”
Dee Allen – Panelist
-
“Skills development—especially in STEM and digital literacy—is the cornerstone of inclusive AI adoption, and expanding digital infrastructure is essential to ensure AI benefits all communities; at the same time, countries must develop sovereign AI strategies that support locally grounded solutions, and provide SMEs with grants and training to create new jobs and ensure AI benefits reach marginalized groups.”
Professor Fola Adeleke – Panelist
-
“Africa’s biggest AI challenges—data access, quality, governance, and privacy—require strong legal frameworks such as privacy laws, IP protections, and data‑sharing protocols, along with local‑language AI models to ensure inclusion, and recognition and protection of data workers with gender equity at the center of AI‑related work.”