Four leading international technology companies have announced a groundbreaking joint venture, AfricAI, aimed at developing advanced artificial intelligence solutions specifically tailored for the African continent, with Nigeria chosen as the launch market and strategic hub. The venture unites Australia’s Lakeba Group, Nigeria’s Next Digital, the United Arab Emirates’ AqlanX, and the Netherlands-based Agentic Dynamic, combining global expertise, regional insight, and cutting-edge AI technology.
AfricAI’s mission is to design enterprise-grade AI systems addressing Africa’s unique needs in healthcare, identity verification, public administration, and business services. The initiative will immediately leverage Nigeria’s national data centres and edge computing infrastructure to deploy AI applications that streamline digital identity verification, automate document processing, enhance citizen services, and improve healthcare delivery.
In a joint statement, the founding partners emphasized their vision: “We are bringing together four complementary pillars: global IP, regional expertise, deployment excellence, and next-generation agentic AI architecture to create an AI foundation that reflects African realities.” They underscored that the project is built in Africa, by Africans, and for African communities, rather than serving as an outsourcing model.
Looking ahead, AfricAI plans to expand into Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Rwanda by 2026, while training over 100 professionals in AI development, cybersecurity, and ethical technology deployment. A dedicated Centre of Excellence will further strengthen regional AI capacity and nurture homegrown innovation.
Prince Malik Ado-Ibrahim, Chairman of Next Digital, highlighted Nigeria’s central role in this ambitious project, noting that the venture positions the country at the forefront of Africa’s digital transformation. “AfricAI is about more than software. It’s about exporting our intelligence, building our future on our terms, and making Africa a force in the global AI conversation,” he said.
Initial use cases for AfricAI include AI-powered multilingual assistants in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Pidgin, secure digital transactions, real-time compliance tools, and citizen and healthcare services. The venture envisions a distributed, interoperable AI ecosystem across Africa, enabling governments, enterprises, and communities to benefit from trusted, transparent, and locally controlled technology, strengthening Africa’s digital sovereignty while contributing to global AI innovation.