Artificial Intelligence Could Add $1.5 Trillion to Africa's GDP by 2030
Olumide Balogun, Google's Director for West Africa, has stated that artificial intelligence (AI) could add $1.5 trillion to Africa's GDP by 2030. This announcement was made during the recent Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, the capital.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) presents more modest estimates. In its "Africa Development Insights" report published in June 2024, the institution, citing the British firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, estimates that AI could bring $1.2 trillion to the African economy by 2030.
On the other hand, the GSMA (Association of Telecommunications Operators) has identified the sectors where AI could bring about significant changes in Africa. According to the report "AI for Africa: Use cases delivering impact" published in July 2024, nearly half of AI applications concern agriculture, followed by energy and climate action.
Artificial intelligence is currently one of the major topics in the technology sector. Many African countries are developing AI strategies to harness this technology. In its "Government AI Readiness Index 2023" report, Oxford Insights, a British consulting firm specializing in artificial intelligence and digital transformation, evaluates the adoption of AI by governments. Sub-Saharan African countries scored an average of 30.16 out of 100, up from 29.38 in 2022.
