Africa stands at a critical juncture in the global artificial intelligence governance race. The continent can either forge a unified voice that shapes international standards or resign itself to passively adopting rules written by others.
That stark warning comes from Dr Jannie Zaaiman, Secretary General of the Technology Information Confederation Africa (TICON Africa), who published a policy commentary this week highlighting the urgent need for continental coordination. Notably, how fragmented Africa's current approach remains despite having the building blocks for something more substantial.
Global Powers Set the Pace
The international AI governance landscape has become what Zaaiman describes as a "polycentric governance landscape" where different regions experiment with various combinations of law, policy, and institutional design. Europe leads with its comprehensive AI Act, while the United Kingdom pursues a strategy-led approach through its AI Opportunities Action Plan.
The United States has advanced a national action plan within its fragmented federal-state system. Meanwhile, the Council of Europe opened the first legally binding international AI treaty for signature.
Asian powers are not sitting idle either. Singapore launched its Model AI Governance Framework for Agentic AI in January 2026, Japan adopted an Artificial Intelligence Basic Plan focused on trustworthy AI, and South Korea's AI Basic Act took effect in January 2026.
Africa's Scattered Response
Africa has made notable moves but lacks coordination. The African Union adopted a Continental AI Strategy, and several countries developed national frameworks. Ghana will officially launch its National AI Strategy on April 24, 2026, following Cabinet approval of the decade-long blueprint.
South Africa has opened a draft national AI policy for public comment. Yet Zaaiman argues these remain "dispersed efforts rather than a coordinated continental posture."
I find this particularly concerning given Africa's track record with technology adoption. The continent often finds itself implementing systems designed elsewhere rather than creating solutions that address local needs and contexts.
The Cost of Fragmentation
Zaaiman warns that continued fragmentation will not lead to outright exclusion from global AI governance processes. Instead, Africa faces something potentially more damaging: passive alignment where standards are adopted rather than shaped.
"Local priorities become constrained by frameworks developed elsewhere. This would limit both policy autonomy and innovation potential."
This concern extends beyond policy circles. At the Africa Summit at the London School of Economics last week, Professor Ojo Emmanuel Ademola, recognised as the first African Professor of Cybersecurity and Information Technology Management, delivered a sobering assessment.
The Nigerian cybersecurity expert told delegates that the continent does not suffer from a shortage of vision but from "a shortage of implementation muscle." He warned that without execution capacity, Africa risks becoming a spectator in a global arena where standards are set elsewhere.
The Path Forward
The solution requires moving beyond individual national strategies toward genuine continental coordination. Africa needs to build what Zaaiman calls "coherence" to accrue influence in the globally distributed AI policy field.
This means aligning the African Union's Continental AI Strategy with national frameworks like Ghana's upcoming launch and South Africa's draft policy. The alternative is watching other regions define the rules that will govern Africa's AI future.
As someone who has covered Africa's AI development extensively, I believe the window for coordinated action is narrowing rapidly. The stakes are too high for continued fragmentation when the opportunity for meaningful influence still exists.