A new International Monetary Fund report finds that artificial intelligence could expand Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy by about 4% over the next ten years, but only if the region urgently tackles gaps in electricity, internet access, and digital skills. Without resolving these bottlenecks, the IMF warns, growth from AI adoption could shrink to a negligible 0.2%, leaving Africa behind in the global technology race. The report identifies electricity as the biggest obstacle, noting that nearly half of the region’s population still lacks dependable power, while internet usage remains well below the global average. The continent also hosts just 5.5% of global data centers, concentrated mainly in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, raising concerns that AI investment could deepen existing regional inequalities rather than spread benefits broadly.
Nairametrics