KAMPALA, Uganda — The Africa AI Summit 2025, held May 7-8 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo, brought together over 1,000 policymakers, tech leaders, and innovators from across Africa and beyond to chart the continent’s path in the global AI landscape. Organized by Uganda’s Ministry of ICT and National Guidance in collaboration with the Centre for Policy Analysis and Microsoft, the summit focused on leveraging AI for sustainable development in health, agriculture, and education.
The event, set against the serene backdrop of Lake Victoria, featured keynote addresses, panel discussions, and workshops aimed at addressing Africa’s unique AI challenges, including infrastructure gaps and data sovereignty. Uganda’s Minister of ICT, Chris Baryomunsi, opened the summit, emphasizing AI’s potential to transform economies. “AI is not a distant dream for Africa; it’s a tool we must harness now to solve our pressing challenges,” Baryomunsi said.
Catherine Muraga, Managing Director of Microsoft’s Africa Development Centre, delivered a standout keynote, urging the continent to prioritize localized AI solutions.
“We need tools that understand African languages, accents, and cultural nuances,” Muraga said, stressing AI’s role as a “co-pilot” to human effort rather than a replacement. She highlighted Microsoft’s initiatives to train 500 policymakers across six African countries by year’s end, aligning with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame, a vocal advocate for tech-driven development, joined virtually, reiterating the need for investment in connectivity. “Our strategy must build a stronger foundation for digital infrastructure,” Kagame said, referencing the $60 billion fund pledged at the Global AI Summit in Kigali in April.
Panels addressed critical issues, including affordability and access to AI resources. Nyombi Thembo, Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission, noted barriers for startups. “Many depend on expensive commercial cloud platforms, and researchers struggle to access GPU time,” Thembo said, announcing plans for localized cloud solutions.
The summit also showcased innovations, with Ugandan startup CEED Uganda presenting AI-driven agricultural tools to boost crop yields. “Our models help farmers predict weather patterns and optimize planting,” said CEED’s founder, Edgar Mwesigye. A youth-focused hackathon saw teams develop AI prototypes for healthcare diagnostics, with winners receiving seed funding from the Gates Foundation.
Attendees committed to the Munyonyo Declaration, a pact to align national AI strategies with continental goals, prioritizing data privacy and ethical AI governance. The declaration’s roadmap will be presented at the Transform Africa Summit 2025 in Kigali.
South African tech entrepreneur Thandiwe Nkosi captured the summit’s optimism: “Africa isn’t just catching up; we’re defining our own AI future.” With the African AI market projected to reach $4.92 billion by year’s end, the summit underscored the continent’s ambition to lead.
The event closed with cultural performances and a call to action, reinforcing Africa’s resolve to shape AI for its people. Plans for the 2026 summit are already underway, with Nairobi as a potential host.
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