The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has warned that Africa risks missing out on the global artificial intelligence boom unless urgent investments are made in infrastructure, skills, and regulation.
Speaking at the GITEX Nigeria 2025 conference in Lagos, Dahlia Khalifa, IFC’s Regional Director for Central Africa and Anglophone West Africa, said,
“Artificial intelligence is emerging as one of the clearest tools enabling the possibility of a quantum leap forward for the continent, and Nigeria is ground zero.”
She noted that globally, AI is projected to contribute $15 trillion to GDP by 2030, but structural gaps in energy, broadband, digital connectivity, and skills threaten Africa’s competitiveness.
Khalifa stressed that Africa’s young demographics and rising smartphone adoption create vast potential. With the population set to reach 2.5 billion in 25 years, and 600 million youths entering the labour market, she said, “Africa is home to one of the largest pools of digital natives in the world.”
AI applications are already transforming sectors: drones cut blood delivery times in Rwanda and Ghana, AI-assisted tutoring accelerated learning in Nigeria, predictive tools boosted agriculture yields, and AI-powered credit scoring expanded access to loans for small businesses.
Still, Khalifa warned, “Unless Africa invests in infrastructure, skills, and responsible regulation, these benefits could bypass us.”
