Africa Urged To Unite, Shape Its Own AI Future
African nations must stop being mere consumers of artificial intelligence (AI) and begin owning, shaping, and regulating it in line with their values and priorities.
This was the powerful message delivered by Senegal’s Minister of National Education, Moustapha Mamba Guirassy, at a high-level ECOWAS Parliamentary Joint Committee meeting held on Monday in Dakar.
Speaking on the theme “Prioritising Education Technology and Innovation in the ECOWAS Region,” Guirassy called for a regional awakening that would see Africa become a force in the global AI space. “Africa cannot be content to consume AI.
We must instil our wisdom, our cultures, and our vision,” he stated. “It’s not about fitting into existing models, but building our own — bold, inclusive, and deeply rooted in who we are.”
Highlighting Senegal’s efforts, the Minister said AI has been placed at the heart of the country’s education reforms, with substantial investments in digital tools and teacher training, and the introduction of AI awareness modules for students.
Guirassy proposed a West African AI Pact built on six pillars, including a regional ethical charter, teacher certification, and data sovereignty policies, aimed at ensuring AI in education is ethical, inclusive, and locally driven.
Echoing these sentiments, Guy Marius Sagna, Head of Senegal’s Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, stressed that educational technology had become a strategic necessity, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the region’s digital gaps. “We must build homegrown solutions.
The era of one-size-fits-all education is over,” he said.
Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee, Orlando P. Dias, also called for a robust legal and ethical framework to govern AI in West Africa. He urged lawmakers to look beyond technology and consider the social, cultural, and political implications of digital transformation.
“Our region’s digital future is being shaped now,” Dias said. “Let us lead this transition with clarity and courage — not as passive adopters, but as active creators of a future that reflects our people’s hopes and heritage.”
The meeting ended with a unified call for ECOWAS to take the driver’s seat in Africa’s AI journey, ensuring technology works for the continent, not against it.
