May 25th is Africa Day, a proud and symbolic day for all Africans, whether resident on the continent or part of the vast diaspora. It is a celebration of unity, resilience and rich cultural diversity. It is also a reminder of the persistent challenges – poverty, inequality, unemployment, access to healthcare and education – that still affect so many.

Organisations and governments across the continent are utilising rapid technological advances and powerful AI-enabled innovations to improve the lives of all who call Africa home. Africa’s digital transformation is in full swing.

But there are also emerging risks, especially with AI, the seminal technology of our time. The global AI narrative often excludes African languages, customs and cultural contexts. This is not only a significant missed opportunity, but also a real risk: without intentional inclusion, Africa’s rich diversity is at risk of being overlooked and could be lost forever in the fast-evolving digital age.

Africa’s Rich Tapestry

Africa consists of 54 countries and is home to 1.4 billion people – nearly 20% of the world’s population. More than 3000 distinct cultures speaking over 2000 languages call Africa home. To put this into perspective, Africa has double the population of Europe and more than ten times the number of languages, highlighting the continent’s immense cultural and linguistic diversity.

And yet this vast diversity is at risk of being lost in the Age of AI. Most generative AI models are trained on Western data sets, predominantly in English and other dominant global languages. As a result, these technologies often fail to accurately interpret African contexts, leading to the misrepresentation of names, accents, traditions, and everyday experiences of a fifth of the global population.

According to the US-based public policy think tankÌýBrookings Institution,ÌýGenerative AI tools are often trained on internet data, meaning access to these tools may be limited to those who speak a few data-rich languages like English, Spanish, and Mandarin.

Localisation Matters

In the context of Africa and AI, localisation is essential for both inclusion and relevance. When AI systems fail to understand the nuances of local languages and cultural norms, they risk excluding entire communities from the digital revolution.

A clear example of the need for greater localisation can be found in the financial sector. The absence of financial education tools and banking apps in indigenous languages remains a major barrier to financial inclusion for hundreds of millions across the continent.

A research paper onÌýLanguage Barriers in Financial InclusionÌýemphasized that these language challenges significantly hinder access to financial services, noting that many digital platforms are not available in local languages. The study identified the lack of localisation in financial tools as a primary factor contributing to the systemic exclusion of non-English-speaking communities from essential financial services.

Equally concerning is the potential erosion or complete loss of languages and traditions, many of which are already under serious threat.

According to theÌýUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Africa is home to one-third of the world’s languages. Alarmingly, 15% of these are at risk of extinction. These include theÌýKhoiÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýSanÌýlanguages in Southern Africa,ÌýEl MoloÌýin Kenya, which is spoken by fewer than 500 people, andÌýBangi MeÌýin Cameroon, which is spoken by fewer than 50 people.

In such extreme cases, generative AI could play a vital role in documenting, preserving, and even teaching these endangered languages to younger generations, helping to safeguard a critical part of our continent’s cultural heritage.

Supporting African AI innovation

We must acknowledge the encouraging rise of African-led innovation in this space, particularly the development of AI models trained in widely spoken African languages such as Swahili and isiZulu. We are also seeing the emergence of voice recognition tools tailored to African dialects and accents, as well as creative uses of AI to tell African stories and reflect local experiences. While these developments are promising, much work still lies ahead.

African governments, academic institutions, and global technology companies all have a critical role to play in accelerating this progress. In multilingual countries – which are commonplace across Africa – AI and technology can be powerful tools for closing communication gaps and enhancing inclusion and access.

TheÌýUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP)Ìýhighlights the importance of co-creating AI solutions that are representative of local priorities. It advocates for Africa to be not just a beneficiary, but an active partner in shaping the future of AI, ensuring that technological advancements align with the continent’s unique needs and development goals.

Localising tech is not just about translation, it’s about transformation. It’s about building digital tools and AI models that reflect African identities, cultures and values. It’s about ensuring that Africa isn’t just a consumer of global innovation, but a co-creator and co-innovator of it. In this regard, everyone needs to play a role, and the importance of Public-Private Partnerships cannot be emphasised enough.

On this Africa Day, let’s commit to shaping a digital future that doesn’t just include Africa, but is deeply and intentionallyÌýinfluencedÌýby it. Let’s build AI that doesn’t just speak to us, but speaksÌýlikeÌýus — in our languages, through our stories, and with our spirit.

Ìýis the Marketing Director atÌý

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Reflecting on the significance of Africa Day, we have accomplished much in terms of colonial liberation, but much work remains to be done in achieving liberation from persistent challenges such as poverty, inequality, and unemployment that continue to plague the African continent.

I am fortunate to work in the dynamic and vibrant technology space, supporting a wide range of businesses in various industries, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the African continent.

A common realisation in my travels and interactions with business leaders has been the enormous opportunities that the African continent possesses.

According to the , Africa has a population of 1.1 billion people, which is roughly equal to the combined populations of Europe and North America.

A resource-rich continent of youthful potential

Africa’s youthful population is expected to grow to 1.4 billion by the year 2030 and 2.1 billion by 2050. Roughly 70% of Africans are under the age of 30, compared to Europe where populations are aging and declining. This young population offers enormous opportunities for economic growth and innovation, but only if they are seized.

Other valuable resources are also waiting to be unlocked

data indicates that Africa has 30% of the world’s mineral resources and 65% of the planet’s arable agricultural land. South Africa, for example, holdsÌý90%Ìýof the world’s , while Nigeria and Libya are among the top ten countries with the largest oil reserves.

Africa also has the largest cobalt reserves, with the Democratic Republic of Congo accounting for more than two-thirds of global supplies. As the world transitions to green energy sources, cobalt has become a strategic resource, particularly in the automotive and power generation industries.

In certain types of innovation, Africa also leads the world

According to a into mobile payment banking, Kenya and Ghana have the second and third highest mobile payment usage after China, demonstrating Africa’s enormous potential. Mobile transactions account for 87% of Kenya’s GDP and 82% inÌýGhana.

To put this in context, the African mobile payment market could have 850 million customers by 2025, which is 100 million more than Europe’s total population.

The big question is why, despite a large young population and mineral resource wealth, does Africa continue to trail the rest of the world in its development?

Tech-enabled SMEs could power the continent’s growth

One of the solutions to driving Africa’s economic development could lie in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. SMEs have the potential to support development by creating jobs and driving economic growth. The burning question is: why are African SMEs so slow to adopt and leverage technology?

African businesses – and SMEs in particular – face significant challenges that include lack of access to capital, specialised skills, raw materials, and markets. A lack of adoption of new technologies is causing several issues for Africa’s SME sector, ranging from poor planning, a lack of forecasting capability, and lack of capacity to leverage the efficiency gains of artificial intelligence and machine learning. These issues must be addressed if we are to unleash the next generation of African business success stories.

Although technology is not the only answer to the question of building world-class competitive African businesses, it is one of the most accessible solutions to many of the challenges that businesses face. Returning to the mobile payment banking example, this innovation was the result of a clever useÌýof technology to address a fundamental challenge in both Kenya and Ghana: a lack of banking infrastructure.

Digital supply chains and business network solutions could unlock access to new markets for raw materials or finished products. Innovative use of technology – like what we’ve seen with mobile banking – could solve immediate challenges stunting SMEs’ growth and unlock a new wave of innovation across the continent.

Even though Africa continues to face numerous and complex challenges, there is no denying that the continent is brimming with possibilities. The time is now for African businesses to leverage technology as a strategic resource to fuel innovation and growth.

ÌýDumisani Moyo is the Marketing Director atÌýÂ鶹ԭ´´ Africa. He is an avid scholar in technology, leadership, diversity, and sustainability. Dumi has extensive experience in technology and a Master of Philosophy Degree in Business Management with a specialization in Responsible Leadership.

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