Ndiho Media,LLC.

By Ndiho Media

Artificial Intelligence and Big Data are no longer buzzwords reserved for Silicon Valley. They’re reshaping industries everywhere—from healthcare and finance to education and agriculture. For the continent of Africa, they represent more than just new technology; they are an opportunity to leapfrog development hurdles and carve out a competitive niche in the global economy. Few people understand this potential better than Dr. Momar Dieng, Dean of the School of Business at the African Leadership University in Kigali, Rwanda. A mathematician by training, with a PhD from the University of California at Davis, Dieng also spends summers lecturing at Harvard University on African politics, election statistics, and quantitative methods. His passion lies in helping Africa harness data and technology to address its most pressing challenges.

Speaking to Ndiho Media, Dieng explained how generative AI is already changing the world. “The emergence of generative AI tools like Bard, from Google, and ChatGPT from OpenAI, backed by companies like Microsoft, has changed the way we think about AI in many ways,” he said. “These tools, especially for young people, are essential to master, as they are going to revolutionize the world and the way we work.”

However, while these tools offer enormous promise, Dieng cautioned that Africa has considerable ground to make up, as most AI systems rely on vast amounts of data. Most of what’s available online originates from Western sources. That leaves African languages, cultures, and knowledge poorly represented. “One of the things where Africa will have to really invest more energy is to make sure that we have more content online,” he noted. “Most African languages are not well represented, which creates a natural bias. We need to document and catalog our indigenous knowledge so it can contribute to the global corpus of knowledge that’s going to find its way into these generative models.”

The challenge, in his view, is not only technical but cultural. Many African societies rely heavily on oral traditions, meaning that vital knowledge in areas such as medicine, agriculture, and history often goes unrecorded. For AI to work for Africa, that must change. Digitizing local languages, encouraging research and publishing, and investing in content creation across disciplines are all crucial steps.

At the same time, the rise of AI is expected to shake up the job market. Some professions may vanish, while others will be completely redefined. Dieng says we should not be worried but prepared. “AI will free people from repetitive tasks so they can focus on higher-level, creative work. The key is retraining and upskilling our workforce.” He pointed out that tasks like summarizing information or drafting basic reports—once standard training exercises in schools—are quickly being taken over by machines. The question for African educators is straightforward: what should young people be taught instead?

For Dieng, the answer lies in creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. “We are going into a world where being average is not going to cut it anymore,” he said. “AI models will be able to do everything average before. That’s why innovation and excellence must become the standard.” At the African Leadership University, he and his colleagues are developing programs to prepare students for careers in data science, programming, and AI—fields that will remain essential even as technology continues to evolve.

Policy and regulation, Dieng added, are just as important as education. He pointed to elections as one area where AI could be both transformative and dangerous. Chatbots, for example, can help political parties stay connected to voters at a fraction of the cost of traditional campaigning. But the same tools can also spread misinformation and create realistic deepfakes that threaten democracy. “AI tools are going to revolutionize how politics is done—not just in Africa, but everywhere,” he said. “But we must also guard against risks like disinformation and deepfakes, which could inflame conflicts in fragile societies. Regulation is not optional—it’s essential.”

That regulation, he argued, cannot be left to individual countries alone. Most African states are too small to influence global technology companies independently. “Individual countries are still small markets with limited bargaining power,” he said. “To influence global platforms and technology providers, Africa must speak with one voice through regional or continental frameworks.”

Despite the challenges, Dieng is profoundly optimistic. Africa has the world’s youngest population, a growing talent pool, and an opportunity to leapfrog into the future. “With this fourth industrial revolution, we have a chance to reset the clock,” he said. “Young Africans no longer need to leave the continent to access world-class knowledge. With focus, ambition, and investment in education, we can leapfrog and compete globally. The next 20 to 30 years will be critical—and I strongly believe this century can be Africa’s century.”