Artificial intelligence (AI) presents transformative opportunities for Africa. As a continent with vast developmental needs, Africa can leverage AI to leapfrog legacy systems and accelerate progress.
A recent report by strategy and management consulting firm McKinsey suggests that African economies could unlock up to $100bn in annual economic value from generative AI alone.
From predictive analytics in agriculture to AI-powered diagnostics in healthcare and more efficient public service delivery, the technology is already beginning to improve lives.
Yet with this promise comes a responsibility: if not developed and deployed ethically, AI could widen existing inequalities, entrench bias and compromise human rights. Poorly designed algorithms can unintentionally discriminate against marginalised communities. Surveillance technologies may infringe on privacy and freedom of expression. Automated decision-making could obscure accountability and limit access to redress. Without ethical guardrails AI can amplify injustice in digital form.
Africa’s emerging regulatory landscape presents a challenge and an opportunity. Countries such as SA, Kenya, Egypt and Rwanda are actively developing AI strategies, but regional co-ordination remains limited.
Recognising this, the African Commission on Human & Peoples’ Rights has urged AU member states to work towards a comprehensive framework for AI that aligns with the African Charter and other regional instruments. However, the rapid pace of technological change makes implementation particularly complex.
Before tackling AI-specific regulations, many countries must still establish or expand foundational data protection frameworks — critical for managing the data-rich nature of AI. Without co-ordinated efforts there is a risk of either underregulating AI, allowing potential harms to go unchecked, or overregulating it in ways that inadvertently stifle local innovation and public benefit.
As African countries shape their AI trajectories it is essential that regulatory models reflect local realities. While established international frameworks offer valuable guidance they may not fully capture the continent’s unique context — such as infrastructural gaps, digital illiteracy or historical inequities. Africa needs a governance approach that is inclusive, locally informed and rooted in the protection of human rights. This will help ensure that AI empowers rather than marginalises, fostering innovation while upholding dignity and justice.
A horizontal regulatory framework offers a pragmatic starting point. Unlike sector-specific approaches, which can lead to fragmented oversight, this model lays down universal principles such as transparency, accountability and fairness that apply across all AI applications. This is especially useful in regions where regulatory resources are stretched, as a unified framework provides consistency, coherence and the flexibility to adapt over time. It also offers African countries the chance to embed their own values and development priorities into the DNA of AI governance.
In some cases countries may consider housing AI oversight within existing regulators, such as data protection authorities. However, given that AI spans multiple sectors and raises complex ethical and social questions, there is a strong case for a dedicated, well-resourced AI regulator. This body could support regional harmonisation, co-ordinate cross-border collaboration, build local capacity and ensure that regulatory interventions remain responsive to African realities. It could also serve as a hub for public engagement, risk assessment and standards development.
For AI regulation in Africa to be truly effective it must encourage context-driven innovation that upholds human rights. For example, by supporting the development of AI models that reflect African languages, cultures and lived experiences, we can help mitigate bias in imported technologies.
Strengthening education, supporting local data scientists and developing African expertise in AI ethics and governance are key. Regulation must play a proactive role — setting ethical standards, supporting training and enabling monitoring mechanisms that protect not only end users but also the growing digital workforce.
Africa has the opportunity to lead in shaping responsible AI governance that reflects its own values and aspirations. By laying the right foundations now we can ensure that AI becomes a force for progress — one that empowers people, protects rights and drives inclusive growth.
• Thekiso is executive head of public policy & regulatory at Vodacom Group. This article includes insights by the group’s principal specialist in human rights, Ncumisa Willie.
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