The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have officially unveiled the AI 10 Billion Initiative.
This initiative is an ambitious and transformative continental effort designed to accelerate the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and spur inclusive digital economic growth.
The partnership was announced at the recently concluded Nairobi AI Forum 2026, which served as the ideal backdrop for this landmark declaration. It brought together a diverse assembly of governments, private sector leaders, development partners, and technological innovators from all over the world to chart viable pathways for impactful AI integration.
One of the initiative’s main objectives is to mobilize up to Sh1.29 trillion ($10 billion) by the year 2035. These resources will act as an investment vehicle aimed at unlocking an estimated 40 million new jobs across the continent within the same time frame.
According to Nicholas Williams, AfDB’s ICT Operations Division Manager, the group is leveraging its unique comparative advantage to ensure Africa is not left behind in the expanding AI era.
“The AI 10 Billion Initiative paves the way for expanded partnerships and sustained investment that will accelerate AI entrepreneurship, strengthen data and infrastructure ecosystems, and support inclusive growth across the continent,” said Nicholas Williams.
The strategy involves targeted investment to build the foundational pillars for an AI-driven economy. These pillars range from fostering entrepreneurship and developing robust regional data infrastructure to establishing sound policy frameworks and implementing comprehensive skills development programmes.
The vision of this new plan is firmly anchored in the AfDB’s June 2025 report, Africa’s AI Productivity Gain: Pathways to Labour Efficiency, Economic Growth and Inclusive Transformation. This influential report outlined a clear, three-phase roadmap for achieving AI readiness, centred on the activation of five interconnected enablers: data, compute, skills, trust, and capital.
This framework resonated deeply with the discussions at the Nairobi forum, where experts repeatedly highlighted the critical need for interoperable data ecosystems, robust ethical governance for AI, the mobilization of significant investment, and the urgent task of upskilling the workforce.
Consequently, the Sh1.29 trillion ($10 billion) is to be channeled into proof-of-concept projects, utilizing a mix of equity and resilient debt financing to establish Africa not only as a consumer of AI technology but also as a vibrant hub of innovation and inclusive opportunity.
The importance of this collaborative innovation was elaborated by Jean-Luc Stalon, Kenya’s UNDP Resident Representative, who highlighted the organisation’s pivotal role in advancing concrete, private sector–driven AI partnerships designed to create jobs and improve livelihoods across communities.
