The African Union endorsed the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence at a ministerial meeting in Tangier, Morocco in April 2026, with 49 countries backing the declaration. The declaration advocates for increased investment in African AI infrastructure, talent, and innovation, and includes proposals for coordinated financing mechanisms within the continent.

Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt have each released national AI strategies. Ghana launched its national AI strategy in April 2026, describing AI as a "sovereign capability."

Priyal Singh, a geopolitical analyst at Signal Risk, stated that "African states will indeed be provided with greater room for manoeuvre on AI and data infrastructure, precisely due to how contested and fragmented this industry is amongst global leaders." Singh also noted that "Major tech companies will need to bend to local concerns much more often than they would otherwise expect."

Industry estimates indicate that Africa accounts for less than one percent of global data center capacity. Research by McKinsey determined that the combined capacity of Africa's five largest data center markets is less than that of France. Sanusha Naidu, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Global Dialogue, said, "Whether it's seen as diversifying from Western tech companies or shifting towards Chinese-based companies, I think it's generally part of the cost-benefit factor." Naidu added, "What we saw in the 1990s around the textile industry is investment comes in, but there's a lot of subsidisation by the recipient country. With data centres, it's much more intense. It's also how big consumers of water these data centres are, and how that impacts socioeconomic issues within African countries."

Joseph Asunka, chief executive of Afrobarometer, addressing public engagement, said, "These negotiations should not just be conducted at the elite level and dumped on citizens." Asunka also stated, "If citizens do not trust their government's actions in this space, it creates a trust gap, which could have negative implications for the adoption of fintech, e-commerce and e-government tools."

Why It Matters

The endorsement of the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence by nearly 50 countries represents a unified effort by the African Union to develop a continental AI strategy. This initiative aims to address the current disparity in AI infrastructure, as Africa, which comprises approximately 18% of the world's population, holds less than one percent of global data center capacity. The declaration's focus on investment, talent, innovation, and coordinated financing suggests a move towards digital self-reliance and increased influence in the global AI landscape.

Discussions surrounding AI development in Africa also involve considerations about the environmental impact of data centers and the importance of public trust. The potential for a "trust gap" among citizens regarding government actions in this technological space could affect the adoption of digital tools across various sectors.