By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
A
new Microsoft analysis has revealed that Africa faces significant structural
barriers that could limit its participation in the fast-growing global
artificial intelligence ecosystem. According to Akua Gyekye, Microsoft’s Head
of Government Affairs for Africa, the findings from the company’s AI Diffusion
report show that the continent is not starting from the same position as other
regions despite AI being the fastest spreading technology in history.
Gyekye
identified electricity access as the most pressing challenge, noting that
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for about 85 percent of the global population
without power. She said 18 of the 20 countries with the largest electricity
deficits are in the region, making digital and AI adoption difficult.
Connectivity
remains another major constraint. While AI adoption in Zambia stands at roughly
12 percent nationally, the rate jumps to 34 percent among people with internet
access. “When people are online, they use AI. Getting them connected is
foundational,” Gyekye said.
Skills
shortages also continue to limit access to emerging technologies, with many
citizens lacking basic digital literacy. Language barriers further compound the
issue, as African languages remain severely underrepresented online. Gyekye
noted that Swahili, spoken by over 200 million people, has vastly less digital
content than European languages, leading to lower model accuracy and slower
adoption.
Infrastructure
gaps were also flagged, with most global AI data center capacity located
outside the continent, resulting in higher costs, increased latency, and
limited capacity for local innovation.
Gyekye
said efforts to expand access must focus on improving electricity and internet
connectivity, investing in digital skills development, strengthening African
language support in AI systems, and growing regional cloud and data
infrastructure. She emphasized that acting on these priorities is essential if
AI is to benefit all Africans and not only those with access to power,
connectivity, and English fluency.
