The West Africa AI Opportunity Project is a team of social entrepreneurs, innovators, data scientists, and researchers working daily to advance AI education and data science for current and aspiring entrepreneurs and social innovators in the healthcare sector across West Africa. As a purpose-driven regional, and later continental-wide initiative, the West Africa AI Opportunity Project brings together African and global tech-savvy leaders, community development champions, and incredible innovators to harness the power of technology to advance social good and create thriving entrepreneurial communities across West Africa.
Our long-term goal is to create a digital competitiveness environment for West African entrepreneurs and social innovators to compete in today’s technology-driven global economy.
Guided by strong values such as integrity, innovation, and collaboration, the West Africa AI Opportunity Project could help governments, social enterprises, and SMEs in the healthcare and health security spaces harness the power of artificial intelligence to create sustainable social stakeholder value and make the entire West African region a better place.
The Challenge
The artificial intelligence race is taking shape day by day. AI, a new weapon of economic competition, is always making headlines. Increasingly present in almost every sector of the economy, it is now the subject of competition that is accelerating daily. One of the significant challenges facing artificial intelligence is the development of data centers. These data centers offer many opportunities in several sectors, including education and technical capacity building. One thing is clear between fascination and fear, progress and danger: AI can provide an excellent opportunity for young West African entrepreneurs and innovators in the healthcare sector. For some, this revolution is comparable to the history of electricity or the Industrial Revolution, with its economic and power issues. But what about the human, environmental, and social stakes? With such an upheaval, the benefits of AI in healthcare are numerous.
Hun Kim, Acting Vice President of Investment Solutions at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), said: “African countries lack the backbone of cloud and connectivity, among other core infrastructure necessities, and without these, AI will remain a distant concept rather than an accessible tool. Already there’s a digital divide and AI is doubling, even tripling this, as countries without digital infrastructure risk falling even further behind.”
Ygor Scarcia, Industrial Development Expert at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), also emphasized the risk of growing inequalities: “The challenge is risking the divide between industrialized and non-industrialized economies.”
Africa is lagging when it comes to digital healthcare infrastructure. Many countries lack the cloud, connectivity, high-speed networks and data centers required to handle the demands of the technology in the sector.
That is why the African Council on Foreign Relations is partnering with Center for Global Health Security & Diplomacy (CGHSD) to launch the West Africa AI Opportunity Project to help young entrepreneurs and social innovators in the healthcare sector develop technical skills for greater competitiveness for their communities and nations.
The Opportunity
The African Council on Foreign Relations is partnering with Center for Global Health Security & Diplomacy (CGHSD) to help young entrepreneurs and social innovators in the healthcare sector develop technical skills for greater competitiveness for their communities and nations across West Africa.
The West Africa AI Opportunity Project is an innovative platform that works with founders, visionary builders, social innovators, and changemakers to build successful technology-driven enterprises that advance technology for social good.
Through a dynamic team of technologists, investors, and partners, we inspire entrepreneurs to harness the potential of artificial intelligence to develop immense opportunity development and enhance market growth and competitiveness.
The West Africa AI Opportunity Project is a team of social entrepreneurs, innovators, data scientists, and researchers working daily to advance AI education and data science for current and aspiring entrepreneurs and social innovators in the healthcare sector across West Africa.
Expected Partners
To realize this bold vision, we will develop win-win partnerships that bring together a wide range of stakeholders including:
- Governments: Ministries of Health, Foreign Affairs, and Information Technology
- Businesses: large and small corporations
- Global health research institutions
- Media organizations
- Global NGO and civil society institutions
Our Next Impact
The West Africa AI Opportunity Project presents a unique opportunity to position West African nations to prepare for the new age of digital technology as AI technology will continue to surge.
By promoting and building cross-border collaborations and partnerships, individual governments, corporations, NGOs, and civil society organizations will make informed decisions in using AI in various contexts, including education, work, and everyday life.