BTA2023 Africa’s ambition for technological independence took centre stage in Accra on Thursday as the Rethink Africa Intelligence Conference 2026 was officially launched at the Google AI Centre.
The main conference is set for April 10–11, 2026, at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) under the theme: “Building Africa’s Intelligence Ecosystem for Sovereignty and Prosperity.” Organisers say the event will move beyond dialogue to outline concrete steps toward strengthening Africa’s digital and artificial intelligence capabilities.
From Event to Ecosystem
Speaking at the launch, Chief Executive Officer of Rethink Africa Intelligence, John Ofori, emphasised that the initiative is designed as a long-term platform rather than a one-off gathering.
“This is not simply an event; it is an ecosystem platform,” he said, explaining that the goal is to unite developers, infrastructure providers, researchers, investors and AI solution deployers within a shared collaborative framework.
The conference seeks to align stakeholders across government, academia, industry and venture capital to accelerate Africa’s transition from technology consumer to technology creator.
AI and the Question of Economic Sovereignty
Artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping global economic competitiveness, influencing sectors ranging from agriculture and healthcare to finance, education and public administration. Against this backdrop, speakers at the launch warned that Africa risks remaining on the margins of the digital economy without deliberate investment in its own systems.
Board member Ing. Richard Densu cautioned that failure to build indigenous AI capacity could entrench technological dependence.
“If we do not build our own AI ecosystems, we risk becoming permanent consumers of systems built elsewhere — exporting our data, importing intelligence and limiting our economic sovereignty,” he stated.
He argued that global competition has shifted from traditional resource extraction to what he described as “intelligence capacity” — the ability to cultivate talent, govern data responsibly and build innovation infrastructure at scale.
Four Strategic Pillars
According to organisers, the April conference will focus on four core pillars:
- Talent development
- Research and knowledge production
- Funding and capital alignment
- Ecosystem building
Planned initiatives include structured internships, AI fellowship programmes, joint research laboratories, venture partnerships and policy dialogues aimed at strengthening sovereign AI capabilities across the continent.
Long-Term National and Continental Goals
Among proposals under consideration is a National AI Digital Literacy and Skills Programme, intended to expand artificial intelligence education from basic schooling through tertiary institutions. Organisers are also exploring the creation of an AI Startup Fund to support innovation in high-impact sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, education and climate resilience.
The conference is being organised in collaboration with the Google, IoT Network Hub, and the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT.
In closing remarks, Mr Densu urged stakeholders to take ownership of Africa’s technological trajectory.
“The future will be designed,” he said. “Let us design it here.”
