Physical Address
4 Elgon Terrace, Kololo, Kampala, Uganda
In a landmark move to bolster Africa’s digital sovereignty, four international tech companies — Lakeba Group (Australia), Next Digital (Nigeria), AqlanX (UAE), and Agentic Dynamic (Netherlands) — have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch AfricAI, a joint venture aimed at building enterprise-grade AI systems tailored for African needs.
Localised AI for Real Needs
AfricAI will begin operations in Nigeria, leveraging national data centres and edge computing infrastructure. Its first projects include digital identity verification, document automation, public administration tools, healthcare applications, and enterprise services. These are meant to be hosted locally — aligned with data-residency regulations and tailored to local cultural and linguistic contexts.
Building Capacity & Infrastructure
By 2026, the venture plans to expand into Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Rwanda. A key component of AfricAI’s strategy involves training more than 100 AI professionals across these markets. Additionally, AfricAI aims to set up a Centre of Excellence dedicated to ethical AI deployment, cybersecurity, and model tuning.
Why Sovereign AI Matters
AfricAI’s goal is not merely to bring tech solutions to Africa, but to create them on the continent, for the continent. This helps reduce reliance on foreign providers, ensures better alignment with regulatory and cultural norms, and improves performance by reducing latency and fostering trust. The model architecture will include modular, agent-based systems and strong emphasis on explainability, multilingual support, and local governance.
Bottom Line
AfricAI signals a turning point: Africa is stepping forward not only as a consumer of AI but as a creator. If the venture delivers as planned, it could reshape how AI is deployed across the continent — more inclusive, more resilient, and more reflective of local realities.
