As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries worldwide, African nations are grappling with the dual realities of fear and opportunity.
A renowned tech expert, Kolawole Adebayo, a renowned tech expert has touched on the urgent need for African countries to develop innovative AI strategies that can address these challenges.
In a recent interview on News Central TV, Adebayo who is also a creative director at Brainbox, shed light on the complexities of AI adoption in Africa and how the continent can turn potential threats into opportunities.
Adebayo acknowledged that the fear surrounding AI is not exaggerated. He pointed to platforms like Will a Robot Take My Job, which allows users to assess the risk of automation in their professions. “The fear is real,” he stated, explaining how this anxiety is amplified in Africa due to a lack of public awareness and understanding of AI’s capabilities and limitations.
For many Africans, the rapid rise of AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek has sparked concerns about job displacement.
However, Adebayo believes that this fear can be mitigated through education and strategic planning. “What African nations should be doing is creating a national AI strategy to change the narrative of that fear,” he said.
The AI Strategy Gap in Africa
Currently, only a handful of African countries have developed national AI strategies. Adebayo listed Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Egypt as some of the nations leading the charge. However, with 54 countries on the continent, this represents a significant gap. “When you put that into perspective, it means we are not doing enough to shape that narrative,” he noted.
According to Adebayo, a well-crafted AI strategy should not only address the risks but also highlight the opportunities AI presents. “AI can displace some jobs, but it can also create more jobs, especially in fields like data science, data analysis, and AI governance,” he explained.
One of the key areas Adebayo highlighted is the need for robust AI governance frameworks. As AI tools become more integrated into daily life, ensuring their ethical and responsible use is critical. “We need to have a framework that governs how AI tools are being built and used,” he said.
AI governance is particularly important in addressing issues like AI bias, where algorithms produce incorrect or skewed outcomes based on flawed data. Adebayo emphasized that human oversight is essential to manage these biases. “There has to be a human who will always be in the loop to check or correct these AI lapses,” he said.
Adebayo identified healthcare, agriculture, and education as the sectors most likely to benefit from AI adoption in Africa. In healthcare, AI can improve diagnostics and patient care. In agriculture, it can optimize crop yields and resource management. And in education, it can personalize learning experiences and bridge gaps in access to quality education.
“AI and human beings can collaborate to work faster and better,” Adebayo said. “This is where the trend is going right now.” He believes that AI will not replace people but will instead empower those who can effectively use these tools.
The question is no longer whether AI is a threat or an opportunity—it’s how Africa will seize the opportunity to redefine its place in the global AI landscape.
