From sovereign data centres and reliable energy to cybersecurity, connectivity and local skills, Dr. Thierry Wandji Ketchiozo says Africa must strengthen the foundations needed to turn its growing AI ambitions into practical results.
By Ajong Mbapndah L
Africa’s push to embrace artificial intelligence will depend heavily on whether countries can put in place the infrastructure, skills and safeguards needed to support the technology, according to Cybastion CEO Dr. Thierry Wandji Ketchiozo.
“Artificial intelligence adoption starts with infrastructure,” Wandji said on September 9 during a ministerial roundtable on “Building Digital Infrastructure to Enable AI Adoption in Africa” at the eighth Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Ministerial Conference in Seoul, South Korea.
His message was clear: Africa’s growing enthusiasm for AI must be matched by serious investment in the foundations that make the technology work. Wandji identified sovereign data centres, reliable energy, high-speed connectivity, cybersecurity and a skilled local workforce as essential to expanding AI adoption across the continent.
The discussion comes at a time when African governments are exploring how artificial intelligence can improve public services, strengthen productivity and help tackle longstanding development challenges. But for countries to reap those benefits, Wandji argued, they first need digital systems capable of supporting AI securely and at scale.
Cybastion is pursuing this approach through its Digital Fast Track platform, which combines digital infrastructure and energy, AI-powered public services, cybersecurity and workforce development. The platform is designed to help African governments advance digital transformation while building stronger foundations for AI readiness.
Wandji pointed to several areas where AI could have an immediate impact. These include detecting fraud and revenue leakage in public finance, monitoring critical infrastructure, forecasting agricultural yields and expanding access to education through adaptive learning platforms.
For governments under pressure to improve services while making better use of limited resources, such applications could be significant. Better fraud detection could help protect public revenue, while improved agricultural forecasting could support farmers and policymakers in responding to changing production and climate conditions.
Education could also benefit, particularly in communities where access to teachers and learning resources remains limited. Adaptive learning tools could help tailor instruction to individual students and broaden access to educational opportunities.
Wandji cautioned, however, that Africa’s AI drive cannot be separated from questions of data sovereignty, security and regulation. He stressed the importance of responsible AI frameworks that protect national data, strengthen government oversight and take account of local languages and realities.
He encouraged African governments to establish regulatory sandboxes where emerging technologies can be tested in controlled environments, while also strengthening data protection frameworks and creating clear rules for the responsible use of artificial intelligence.
Public-private partnerships will be equally important, Wandji said, particularly given the scale of investment required to develop data centres, energy systems, connectivity and other digital infrastructure. Bringing governments and the private sector together could help mobilise capital while accelerating the rollout of infrastructure needed to support national digital strategies.
The debate over AI in Africa is increasingly moving beyond whether the continent should embrace the technology to how countries can ensure they benefit from it on their own terms. That means building the capacity to store and protect national data, developing local expertise and ensuring governments retain sufficient oversight of the technologies being introduced into critical sectors.
It also means preparing Africans to play a larger role in the emerging digital economy as developers, engineers, cybersecurity specialists, entrepreneurs and policymakers rather than simply consumers of technologies created elsewhere.
Wandji’s message in Seoul placed infrastructure at the heart of that effort. Before governments can fully exploit the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence, countries need dependable electricity, secure data infrastructure, strong connectivity, effective cybersecurity and people with the skills to operate and develop these systems.
For Africa, the opportunity presented by AI is considerable. Turning that opportunity into lasting economic and social gains, however, will depend on how quickly countries can build the foundations needed to support it.
