While there is much fanfare about Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption in Africa, AI has been rapidly transforming specific sectors across Africa by providing innovative solutions tailored to local challenges.
Here are some notable developments:
Agriculture:
AI is creating a mini revolution in farming practices in Africa. In Kenya, SunCulture leverages AI for precision agriculture, offering solar-powered irrigation systems that use data analytics to optimize water use and improve crop yields.
This technology helps smallholder farmers increase productivity while conserving resources.
In Cameroon, Agrix Tech has developed AI tools that help to detect plant diseases and pests through mobile apps that work offline. This assists farmers in regions with limited internet access. This application not only provides advantages in terms of providing timely intervention but also provides education to farmers on modern and effective sustainable farming practices.
Healthcare:
AI applications are making significant inroads in healthcare. Ubenwa, a Nigerian based Tech group, has developed an AI system that analyses infants’ different cries and is able to detect neurological issues like birth asphyxia, offering a low-cost, non-invasive diagnostic tool. This technology is crucial in areas where medical facilities are scarce, enabling early intervention and potentially saving lives.
In South Africa, AI is used to improve medical imaging diagnostics, enhancing the accuracy and speed of treatments with a recent development in breast cancer screening that was developed by a local university team.
Finance:
Possibly the biggest area of development in AI on the African continent has been in the Fintech arena. AI has transformed the fintech landscape significantly, particularly in enhancing financial inclusion.
M-KOPA in Kenya uses AI to provide micro-loans based on customers’ payment history and mobile usage patterns, allowing those without traditional credit histories to access finance. This model has significantly expanded financial services to the unbanked population, driving economic empowerment.
Education:
With Education access a widespread issue in Africa, AI-driven platforms like M-Shule in Kenya and Tuteria in Nigeria are addressing educational gaps by providing personalized learning experiences. Tineo, an online school program in South Africa is providing thousands of learners with effective teaching at a fraction of private school fees. South Africa’s education system, while having the highest education budget per scholar, has produced some of the worlds worst academic results and these platforms use AI to adapt teaching methods to the learner’s pace and style, making education more accessible and effective, especially in underserved areas.
Public Services:
Some African Governments are beginning to adopt AI to improve service delivery. As an example, in Rwanda, AI is used for traffic management, reducing congestion and improving safety. Similarly, AI helps in optimizing public transport in urban centers like Lagos, Nigeria, where real-time data analysis leads to better route planning and efficiency. In South Africa, recent developments in AI driven biometrics and machine learning are aimed at reducing fraudulent use of identities that has plagued the department for years and is a move towards restoring faith in the systems and reducing illegal use of others identities.
Commerce and Retail:
AI enhances customer engagement and operational efficiency. Companies like Jumia use AI for personalized marketing, improving customer experience and sales conversion rates. AI also aids in inventory management and demand forecasting, crucial for businesses in Africa’s dynamic markets.
The ongoing challenge in Africa will be for highly innovative solutions to overcome a myriad of economic and social ills. However, with the right applications this can become a considerable factor in Africa dealing with systemic challenges
