Africa’s AI Declaration’s Now In The People’s Hands

Jacob, a junior annotator in Ghana, spends his evenings teaching himself how to use ChatGPT and V7. His employer offers no training, but he knows that staying still is not an option. As AI tools rapidly automate tasks once done by entry-level workers like him, adapting seems increasingly essential to staying employed. Across Africa, workers like Jacob are taking learning into their own hands, turning to online courses, peer forums, and social platforms to build the skills they need to stay competitive.

Their initiative is inspiring, and also a warning. When acquiring the skills needed to adapt to a changing workplace becomes a personal burden rather than a public good, resilience becomes the reserve of the privileged.

Africa’s differentiator in the AI economy will not solely be found in server farms or sovereign algorithms. It will be determined by how effectively the continent equips its people for an era of intelligent work.

At the recent Global AI Summit in Kigali, African leaders presented a collective vision for the continent’s digital future. The Africa AI Declaration, backed by the proposed Africa AI Development Fund, outlines priorities that include talent development, infrastructure, open data, and responsible governance. Talent, listed first, is rightly seen as foundational. But declarations must now give way to delivery.

The BPO sector is a bellwether for Africa’s AI transition.

Perhaps nowhere are the consequences of AI more immediate than in business process outsourcing (BPO). The sector already employs more than a million people in Africa and is projected to grow to $35 billion by 2028. It serves as a crucial entry point into the workforce, particularly for young people and women, in roles such as customer service and financial administration.

But it is also a frontline for automation. Generative AI tools are transforming customer support. Algorithms are reshaping clerical workflows. A recent study by Caribou and Genesis Analytics, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, found that up to 40 percent of BPO roles could be automated by 2030. Customer experience positions, which make up 44 percent of current jobs, are particularly exposed, with half of the underlying tasks already replicable by AI. Among young workers in finance and admin roles, two-thirds of their tasks may be at risk. The gender implications are serious: women perform around 10 percent more automatable tasks than men on average.

These figures do not just signal disruption. They highlight an opportunity. The BPO sector is a testing ground for how AI will reshape work across Africa, not only in outsourcing, but in logistics, retail, education, and public services. The continent must act now to ensure that these changes empower, rather than displace, its workforce.

Policy momentum is building, but it must scale.

Some countries are already taking steps. Senegal has pledged nearly $12 million to AI capacity-building. Nigeria’s “Outsource to Nigeria Initiative” seeks to channel its demographic advantage into global service exports. South Africa stands out: under its Global Business Services Masterplan, 65 percent of new export service jobs between 2018 and 2022 went to women, and 89 percent to youth. Today, more than 60 percent of BPO workers there use AI tools in their daily workflows.

These are promising signs, but they remain isolated. Most of the continent is still in the early stages of execution. The Africa AI Declaration outlines mechanisms like a pan-African AI Council and knowledge-sharing platforms, but these must be matched with binding goals, shared metrics, and funding tied to workforce outcomes.

What’s needed now: foundational investment in skills

Reskilling today’s workers is urgent, but it is only part of the solution. Africa’s long-term competitiveness in AI will depend on reimagining tomorrow’s education. AI should not be a niche subject reserved for elite STEM tracks. It must become a core literacy, embedded across curricula to develop critical thinking, digital fluency, and ethical reasoning from an early age.

The infrastructure to support this shift already exists. Africa’s most accessible computing power is in its smartphones. AI is already embedded in everyday life through WhatsApp bots, social platforms, and online tools, but this passive exposure needs to be channelled into structured learning.

Scalable solutions are within reach. In Kenya, community-based training hubs like the Digital Economy County Centres of Excellence are pioneering local AI education. Mobile-first, curriculum-aligned platforms can democratise access and reduce cost barriers. What’s needed is coordinated support from governments, funders, and employers, to take these promising models to scale.

The BPO sector is where action can begin.

The Africa AI Development Fund must be guided by more than good intentions. Human capital must be its core priority. One clear starting point is the BPO sector. Governments and funders should partner with BPO employers to co-design upskilling programmes, create school-to-work pathways, and test scalable models for inclusive workforce transformation.

Africa’s potential in AI is not abstract. It lives in a generation like Jacob’s, ready to learn, adapt, and lead. The BPO sector has long been a source of dignified employment across the continent. If thoughtfully transformed through AI, it will secure resilient livelihoods and serve as a model for inclusive, future-ready work across other sectors.

This article was written by Charlene Migwe,the Program Director at Caribou, and Jonathan Dooner, the Chief Knowledge Officer at Caribou