Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has warned that Africa’s ability to compete in the artificial intelligence era will depend less on slogans and more on whether the continent can close critical gaps in internet access, electricity, affordability and digital readiness.
Delivering a keynote address at the LSE Africa Summit 2026 at the London School of Economics on March 28, Dr. Bawumia argued that Africa’s AI agenda must first be treated as an infrastructure challenge if the continent is to avoid another missed technological turning point.
“On connectivity, World Bank indicators show internet use in Africa at 43%,” he said, noting that the average masks wide disparities between countries and communities.
He pointed to contrasting internet penetration figures across the continent, saying connectivity stood at about 34% in Rwanda in 2023, 70% in Ghana and 76% in South Africa. But he stressed that headline figures do not fully capture whether people are truly positioned to participate in the digital economy.
“For policy, the critical question is not only ‘who is online,’ but ‘who is online meaningfully’ with affordable data, adequate speeds, and reliable service.” - Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
Affordability still limits digital inclusion
Dr. Bawumia said internet access across Africa continues to be constrained by high costs, uneven digital literacy and limited access to affordable devices, all of which could slow the continent’s adoption of AI tools and platforms.
He noted that while infrastructure expansion is progressing, affordability remains a major obstacle, especially for low-income households and informal sector workers.
According to him, entry-level 1GB mobile broadband in Africa cost around 3.5% of income on average in 2025, exceeding the UN affordability benchmark. In Ghana, he said, the cost of 1GB of mobile data ranged from about GHS6 to GHS17 depending on the provider and bundle selection.
“Analysis indicates that internet access is relatively affordable for middle- and high-income groups; however, it remains costly for low-income households.” - Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
He added that although Ghana compares relatively well with many African peers on mobile data affordability, the cost of regular access still excludes a significant share of the population from meaningful digital participation.
No power, no AI
Beyond internet access, Dr. Bawumia said stable electricity remains a non-negotiable foundation for AI, cloud computing and modern public service delivery.
He cited data showing electricity access across Africa stands at about 60%, with country-level differences including 76.2% in Kenya, 63.9% in Rwanda, 87.7% in South Africa and 89.5% in Ghana.
Yet he cautioned that access alone is not enough if supply remains unstable.
“AI systems require uptime and stability: intermittent power turns digital systems into fragile pilots rather than dependable national services.” - Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
He summed up the challenge in blunt terms: “Africa’s AI agenda is also an infrastructure agenda. No electricity, no compute. No broadband, no scaling. No trusted data systems, no safe deployment.”
Small AI offers a practical path forward
Despite the gaps, Dr. Bawumia said Africa does not need to wait for perfect infrastructure before beginning to use AI more productively and responsibly.
Quoting the World Bank’s Digital Progress and Trends Report 2025, he highlighted the emergence of “small AI” — lower-cost applications designed to run on ordinary mobile devices — as a practical route for expanding access in sectors such as agriculture, health and education.
He also referenced the World Bank’s framework for inclusive AI ecosystems, built around what he described as the “four Cs”: connectivity, compute, context through data, and competency through skills.
Ghana shows momentum, but readiness gaps remain
Dr. Bawumia said broader AI readiness across African governments shows momentum, but also reveals how much work remains to move from isolated pilot projects to national systems.
Citing the Oxford Insights Government AI Readiness Index 2024, he said Ghana scored 43.30 out of 100, compared with Kenya’s 43.56, Rwanda’s 51.25 and South Africa’s 52.91.
“These are not ‘zero scores,’” he said. “They indicate momentum but also the work required to move from pilots to national systems.”
He explained that Ghana’s score reflected relatively stronger performance in government readiness but weaker results in its technology sector, while South Africa performed better in data and infrastructure.
A race Africa cannot afford to lose
For Dr. Bawumia, the message to African policymakers is clear: the future of AI on the continent will be determined by deliberate investment in systems that make technology accessible, usable and scalable.
With a third of the world still offline and Africa trailing global averages, he said the continent must accelerate its progress or risk being sidelined in yet another era of economic transformation.
His warning was blunt, but also hopeful: Africa may still be behind, but it has a real opportunity to build an AI future that is inclusive, practical and continentally relevant — if it gets the foundations right now.
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