Hi Ayodele here,

Across Africa, the conversation around AI is evolving. It is no longer only about tools and models, but about the foundations needed to support meaningful, long-term impact. From data centers and education to governance and innovation, countries like Kenya and Nigeria are laying the groundwork for a more self-sustaining AI future.

In this edition, we explore how infrastructure, policy, and homegrown solutions are shaping the continent’s next chapter in AI.

Let us get into it. In this edition:

• Safaricom and iXAfrica set to launch East Africa’s first AI-ready data center

• Qualcomm selects African AI startups for 2025 accelerator program

• Nigeria’s electoral commission sets up AI division for election management

• Bildup AI launches Africa’s first indigenous AI tutor

Around Africa

Safaricom and iXAfrica set to launch East Africa’s first AI-ready data center

Kenya is making its move in the AI infrastructure race. Last week, telecommunications giant Safaricom announced a strategic partnership with iXAfrica Data Centre to deliver what they're calling East Africa's first AI-ready data center services for enterprise customers.

The partnership centers around iXAfrica's NBOX1 Nairobi Campus, which is the largest data center project in Greater East Africa. The facility is purpose-built to handle the high-density computing, cooling, and power requirements that AI workloads demand.

But this isn't just about having powerful servers. The collaboration addresses a critical need: enabling businesses and government agencies to run AI workloads locally rather than relying on offshore infrastructure. This means improved data sovereignty, compliance, and speed for organizations across the region.

Why it matters?

Kenya is positioning itself as East Africa's AI hub, and this infrastructure play could be crucial to that ambition. With Safaricom’s broad customer base and strong enterprise relationships, this partnership creates a direct pathway for businesses to access AI computing power without the complexity and cost of international cloud services.

The timing is also strategic. As AI adoption accelerates across industries, having local, high-performance infrastructure becomes a competitive advantage.

For the broader East African market, this could mark the beginning of a regional AI infrastructure ecosystem that reduces dependence on external providers while keeping data and processing power closer to home.

Qualcomm selects African AI startups for 2025 accelerator program

Qualcomm just announced the startups that made it into its prestigious, “Make in Africa Program”, and the selection tells an interesting story about where AI innovation is happening across the continent. Out of over 400 applications from 19 countries, only 10 startups made the cut. 8 of these startups are AI focused.

The selected companies span five countries and tackle some of Africa's most pressing challenges through AI and IoT solutions. Nigeria leads with two startups: Aframend, which uses AI for drug discovery with African plant compounds, and ClimatrixAI, focused on flood prediction. Kenya also has three representatives, including Farmer Lifeline's solar-powered crop monitoring robots and Solar Freeze's smart cold storage systems.

Tunisia contributes three innovative startups, from AI-powered physical rehabilitation (AmalXR) to smart beekeeping solutions (Ecobees).

Why it matters?

This selection reveals where African entrepreneurs see the biggest opportunities for AI application: agriculture, healthcare, climate adaptation, and sustainability. These aren't flashy consumer apps, they're practical solutions addressing real infrastructure and livelihood challenges.

What's particularly noteworthy is the geographic spread. While Nigeria and Kenya dominate many African tech conversations, this cohort shows innovation emerging from Tunisia, Senegal, and Benin as well, suggesting AI entrepreneurship is taking root across diverse markets and ecosystems throughout the continent.

Nigeria’s electoral commission sets up AI division for election management

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the creation of an Artificial Intelligence Division within its ICT Department. This initiative aims to leverage AI technologies to improve various aspects of election management in Nigeria.

Key objectives include enhancing decision-making with data-driven insights, improving risk management, and strengthening voter engagement. The division will also focus on utilizing AI for implementing intelligent safeguards to bolster electoral credibility.

INEC's move comes amid concerns over the use of AI to spread fake news and manipulate online content. By adopting AI, the commission aims to mitigate these negative impacts while harnessing the technology.

Why It Matters

The establishment of an AI Division by INEC signifies a proactive step towards modernizing Nigeria's electoral system. By integrating AI, INEC seeks to enhance transparency, efficiency, and trust in the electoral process, addressing challenges such as misinformation and logistical inefficiencies. This initiative positions Nigeria at the forefront of adopting advanced technologies to strengthen democratic institutions.

Bildup AI launches Africa’s first indigenous AI tutor

Nigeria's education sector is getting a significant tech upgrade. Bildup AI, a homegrown EdTech startup, has launched what it calls Africa's first indigenous AI-powered tutor, starting with a pilot at Adorable British College in Enugu.

The company has committed ₦500 million over the next year to accelerate AI adoption in Nigerian schools through its "AI in Every Classroom" initiative. The system provides personalized learning experiences that adapt to each student's pace and learning style, while giving teachers real-time insights into student progress.

The AI tutor handles individualized instruction, allowing teachers to focus more on mentorship and critical thinking development rather than routine tasks. Parents also get real-time updates on their children's academic progress through the platform.

Why it matters?

This represents a shift from importing educational technology to building solutions specifically designed for African contexts. The timing is significant as African governments increasingly recognize the need to modernize education systems. If successful, this could provide a template for other African countries looking to integrate AI into their educational infrastructure without relying entirely on foreign solutions.

The focus on teacher empowerment rather than replacement also addresses a common concern about AI in education, that it might eliminate jobs rather than enhance human capabilities.

Around the world

Google i/o 2025: AI for Everyone

Google just dropped a wave of major AI updates at Google I/O, highlighting big improvements to its Gemini and Gemma models, plus some cool new tools for search, shopping, and beyond.

Check out our favorite three:

1. Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemini Flash Upgrades
   Google’s AI models are more powerful than ever. Gemini 2.5 Pro leads in benchmarks, while Gemini Flash remains fast and now more capable. A new "2.5 Deep Think" version is in testing for advanced reasoning.

2. Gemini Live is Now Free for Everyone
   Gemini Live, which supports screen and camera sharing with real-time AI assistance, is now available to all users, making powerful AI interaction more accessible.

3. Agent Mode + Jules Coding Assistant
   Google introduced Agent Mode for both Search and Gemini, capable of handling multiple tasks simultaneously. Plus, Jules, the new coding assistant, is now in public beta, helping developers automate and streamline their work.

Microsoft Build 2025 AI Highlights

 Microsoft's annual developer conference, Build, brought significant AI advancements focused on enterprise and developer productivity. Check out our favorite announcements:

1. Copilot Deeply Integrated into Windows
   Microsoft is embedding Copilot directly into Windows, now part of system settings, File Explorer, and task management, accessible via voice or text.

2. Copilot Stack + Team Copilot for Collaboration
   Developers can now build their own copilots using the new Copilot Stack (APIs, memory, orchestration). Meanwhile, Team Copilot helps groups manage meetings, tasks, and documents collaboratively.

3. AI PCs
   New AI PCs with built-in infrastructure to enable faster, local AI processing.

Around the Web - Top Picks

• Entry-Level Jobs at Risk? LinkedIn is flooded with AI-generated résumés and job applications, raising questions about fairness, opportunity, and the future of entry-level work. In this NYT opinion piece, Julia Angwin explores how generative AI is changing hiring and what it means for young professionals trying to break into the workforce.
  Read the full article: AI and the End of Entry-Level Jobs

• AI’s Godfather Sounds the Alarm. Yoshua Bengio, one of the most influential minds in AI, shares urgent concerns about the direction of today’s AI models. From deception to self-preservation, he warns the technology is moving faster than our ability to control it—and offers a bold plan to keep AI aligned with human values.
  Watch the full TED Talk: How to Keep AI from Spiraling Out of Control

• A recent McKinsey report highlights the transformative potential of generative AI (gen AI) across Africa. The continent stands to unlock up to $100 billion in annual economic value by deploying gen AI at scale across key sectors such as banking, telecommunications, retail, insurance, energy, and the public sector.
  Read the full report: Leading, not lagging: Africa’s gen AI opportunity 

Upcoming African AI Events

Conference on the State of Artificial Intelligence in Africa (COSAA 2025)
Dates: June 3-4, 2025
Location: Nairobi, Kenya 
Theme: "Shaping Responsible and Ethical AI Governance, Policy, and Regulation in Africa"
Link: COSAA 2025

AI Summit: South Africa 2025
Dates: July 1-3, 2025
Location: Tsogo Sun, Monte Casino, Johannesburg, South Africa
Theme: "Driving Africa's Growth with Artificial Intelligence"
Link: AI Summit: South Africa 2025

Africa Technology Expo
Dates: June 21, 2025
Location: Landmark Centre, Lagos
Theme: The Africa Technology Expo (ATE) is where Africa’s tech and business leaders gather with one clear goal: to make deals happen. It’s a space where enterprises, operators, and industry giants converge to showcase innovations, build partnerships, and deliver results.
Link: Africa Technology Expo

AI Job Opportunities

• Caiz(Remote) — AI/ML Backend Developer

• Team5pm — AI Developer(Multi-agent System and RAG Architect)

• Braintrust — AI Trainers

Use Case: Coding in Natural Language

This week, we're highlighting Codex, an AI-powered code generation tool that's changing how developers approach programming tasks across Africa and beyond.

What is Codex?

Codex is an AI system that understands natural language descriptions and converts them into working code. Instead of spending hours writing code from scratch, you simply describe what you want to build in plain English, and Codex generates the corresponding code in various programming languages including Python, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and more.

Think of it as having a highly skilled programming assistant that never gets tired and can work in dozens of programming languages simultaneously.

Ready to try Codex for yourself? This tutorial walks you through the basics of using Codex effectively, from writing clear prompts to refining the generated code for your specific needs.