Afrik, the economic development platform designed to accelerate Africa’s Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), will attend the Global AI Summit in Rwanda, an invitation-only summit hosted by Rwandan President H.E. Paul Kagame and the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) in Rwanda. The summit will bring together leaders, key stakeholders, policymakers, and innovators to explore AI’s transformative role in Africa’s development.
The Global AI Summit in Africa seeks to harness AI’s potential for sustainable economic growth, innovation, and digital transformation. James Saruchera, co-founder of Afrik, emphasized the importance of the summit in advancing Africa’s digital future, noting, “The Global AI Summit highlights the need for Africa to take ownership of its technological and economic destiny. AI, blockchain, and decentralized finance will define the continent’s next growth phase,” he said. “Afrik is a solution that integrates these technologies to empower communities and governments to finance development on their terms.”
Afrik which is set to launch at the summit, is a revolutionary and first-of-its-kind decentralized financial and governance platform designed to reshape Africa’s economic landscape through enabling the financing of green energy projects and artificial intelligence (AI).
By leveraging blockchain and AI, Afrik provides a transparent and efficient funding mechanism, enabling access to capital for a wide range of projects related to AI from a wide variety of financial actors, from institutional financial institutions to individuals. In addition, the platform facilitates funding for relevant projects through a digital asset that is globally tradable, creating a new financial paradigm where African development is driven by African resources and innovation.
Jean-Marc Bourreau, economist and Afrik co-founder, said, “Afrik enables funding through a digital asset that is globally tradable, that includes innovative features, such as smart contracts, and that will help African economies to direct more resources towards the private sector involved in 4IR.” He added “The objective is to boost productivity in Africa and close the economic development gap with the most advanced economies. Afrik is about developing Africa at the speed of AI.”
Ahead of its launch, Afrik has been endorsed by high-profile entrepreneurs and economists, including Arlinda Peixoto, Founder and CEO of leading fintech Pagali, who said, “Afrik aligns strongly with the need for African self-reliance and economic independence, leveraging digital transformation to break dependency on external financial structures.” He added, “By integrating technology and finance, it positions Africa to take advantage of AI-driven economic models, blockchain technology, and decentralized financial systems.”
Patrick Sergant, a lawyer in Dakar said Afrik is the most innovative instrument he has seen for the financing of Africa’s development.
Afrik will mark a pivotal shift toward an Africa-driven economic model built on financial sovereignty and equitable access to capital. The insights gained from the Global AI Summit will further inform Afrik’s mission as it prepares to introduce its funding platform to the market.”
The inaugural Global AI Summit on Africa will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from April 3-4 under the theme: “AI and Africa’s Demographic Dividend: Reimagining Economic Opportunities for Africa’s Workforce.” Over two days, through keynotes, panels, and workshops, the summit will focus on how AI can be harnessed to create inclusive economic opportunities, foster innovation, and enhance the skills of Africa’s workforce.
Heads of state, policy makers, industrial leaders, investors, innovators, startups, researchers, and academics are expected to attend the summit.
The Global AI Summit aims to foster a collaborative and context-driven approach to artificial intelligence in Africa, anchored in the continent’s unique socio-economic, cultural, and developmental realities. By grounding discussions in Africa’s priorities, the summit seeks to align stakeholders on shared challenges, risks, and opportunities posed by AI, enabling a unified strategy to address barriers and harness its potential. Central to this effort is ensuring inclusive access to AI technologies, bridging gaps to empower all African communities and prevent widening inequalities.
Additionally, the summit focuses on identifying scalable, sustainable AI initiatives capable of driving transformative impact across sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and governance. By spotlighting these opportunities, the event aims to catalyze innovation tailored to Africa’s needs while fostering cross-continental collaboration. Ultimately, the summit strives to establish a cohesive vision for AI in Africa—one that prioritizes safe, ethical, and inclusive development, positioning AI as a catalyst for equitable growth, shared prosperity, and long-term resilience in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
