Hi Ayodele here,

AI in Africa is moving from promise to progress. A new Mastercard report projects the market to surpass $16.5 billion by 2030, driven by growth in fintech, healthcare, and logistics. At the same time, governments and companies are laying the groundwork to sustain this momentum. Airtel is investing in a $120 million AI-ready data centre in Lagos. Namibia is piloting AI-assisted learning in public schools. And in Ghana, 20 new AI labs are being launched to power localized innovation.

This edition highlights how investment, education, and homegrown solutions are shaping Africa’s AI future and creating the foundation for long-term competitiveness.

Let us get into it. In this edition:

• AI in Africa Projected to Surpass $16.5B by 2030

• Namibia Launches AI-Assisted Learning Pilot in Public Schools

• Airtel to Launch $120 Million AI-Ready Data Centre in 2026

• AI Africa Project Launches 20 Labs in Ghana

Around Africa

AI in Africa Projected to Surpass $16.5B by 2030

A new Mastercard report projects Africa’s AI market to exceed $16.5 billion by 2030, fueled by rapid fintech adoption, a growing startup ecosystem, and rising investment in digital infrastructure. The report highlights strong AI uptake in finance, agriculture, healthcare, and logistics, with Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa emerging as innovation hubs.

It also points to increasing interest in AI-powered fraud prevention, credit scoring, and customer service solutions. To sustain growth, Mastercard emphasizes the need for supportive policies, robust digital infrastructure, advanced skills training, and stronger public-private collaboration.

Airtel to Launch $120 Million AI-Ready Data Centre in 2026

Airtel Africa is investing $120 million in a new state-of-the-art data centre in Lagos, expected to go live in early 2026. The facility will support AI workloads, cloud services, and advanced digital infrastructure for businesses across Africa.

Designed with scalable power, cooling, and security systems, it will meet growing enterprise demand for AI-driven solutions. The project will be operated by Nxtra by Airtel, expanding Airtel’s footprint in the continent’s data centre market.

Why it matters
This investment strengthens Africa’s digital backbone, enabling faster AI adoption, boosting cloud capacity, and supporting innovation across sectors such as fintech, healthcare, and manufacturin

Namibia Launches AI-Assisted Learning Pilot in Public Schools

Namibia has introduced a pilot project to integrate AI-assisted learning into its public education system. The initiative will equip schools with digital tools that use AI to personalise lessons, enhance student engagement, and support teachers with tailored content.

The project aims to bridge learning gaps, improve outcomes, and prepare students for a technology-driven future.

Why it matters
This marks a significant step toward modernising Namibia’s education system, ensuring students gain skills relevant to the AI era while reducing inequalities in access to quality learning resources.

AI Africa Project Launches 20 Labs in Ghana

The AI Africa Project has established 20 AI labs across Ghana to promote innovation and develop localized AI solutions. Led by Dr. David King Boiso, the initiative focuses on applying AI in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and education. The labs will serve as hubs for research, skills training, and the creation of technology tailored to Ghana’s needs.

Why it matters
By fostering homegrown AI solutions, this project positions Ghana to address local challenges more effectively, build a skilled workforce, and strengthen its role in Africa’s emerging AI economy.

Around the world

Nvidia Unveils New Cosmos World Models for Physical AI

Nvidia has introduced Cosmos, a family of world models designed to give AI systems a better understanding of the physical world. The models aim to improve AI’s ability to reason, plan, and interact in real-world environments, with applications in robotics, autonomous systems, and industrial automation.

Meta Launches DINOv3 Self-Supervised Vision Model

Meta has unveiled DINOv3, its latest self-supervised computer vision model that learns visual representations without labeled data. The model delivers strong performance across image classification, object detection, and segmentation tasks, and is designed to scale efficiently with larger datasets and compute power. It advances Meta’s research into more general-purpose, adaptable AI vision systems.

Google Gemini AI Storybook Brings Personalized Bedtime Stories

Google has introduced Gemini AI Storybook, a tool that creates custom bedtime stories based on prompts like characters, themes, and settings. Available in the Google app for Android and iOS, it uses AI to instantly generate illustrated narratives for kids. Parents can choose story details, and the AI produces unique tales with matching visuals for an engaging reading experience.

Around the Web - Top Picks

• The Clearest Path to a $5M ARR AI Startup

  This post outlines a straightforward strategy for AI startups to scale to $5M in Annual Recurring Revenue. It emphasizes focusing on niche problems where AI delivers clear, measurable value, rapidly iterating based on user feedback, and building lean teams that can adapt quickly to market needs. The approach also highlights the importance of monetization from the start and avoiding the trap of chasing vanity metrics over paying customers.

  Read the full piece: The Clearest Path to a $5M ARR AI Startup

• Mastering GPT-5: Prompting Guide

  OpenAI’s GPT-5 Prompting Guide offers practical tips for getting the best results from the model. It covers techniques like giving clear instructions, structuring prompts with examples, breaking down complex tasks, and using iterative refinement to improve outputs. The guide also explores advanced strategies such as role prompting, few-shot examples, and using constraints to keep responses on target.

  Read the full piece: GPT-5 Prompting Guide 

• AI in Africa to Reach $16.5B by 2030

  A Mastercard report projects Africa’s AI market to exceed $16.5 billion by 2030, driven by sectors like fintech, agriculture, healthcare, and logistics. The study highlights how AI adoption is accelerating across the continent, fueled by mobile penetration, digital payments, and growing startup ecosystems. It also stresses the importance of skills development, ethical AI frameworks, and public-private partnerships to unlock the technology’s full potential.

  Read the full piece: AI in Africa to Top $16.5B by 2030

Seen This?

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Upcoming African AI Events

Deep Learning Indaba 2025
Date: 17 August – 22 August 2025
Location: Rwanda
Highlights: Premier AI research gathering in Africa, workshops, and networking with top ML researchers.
Link: Deep Learning Indaba

GITEX NIgeria
Date: 1-4 September 2025
Location: Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria
Theme: Gitex is where tech leaders unite to explore opportunities and showcase innovations. It's the ideal platform to connect with key players, build meaningful connections.
Link: GITEX Nigeria

AI Opportunities

• UNDP Compute Accelerator Programme - Supporting 120 African AI ventures

• MTN Cloud Accelerator Program 

• Mest AI Startup program - AI’s Emerging Leaders In AI Grad Prep Program

• Accenture – Data and AI Manager

• Unis  – AI & Robotics Business Partner

• Moniepoint Group  – Senior Data Scientist

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