Nigeria becomes launchpad for AfricAI, a multinational push for local AI development

Four international tech companies signed an agreement Monday to create AfricAI, a joint venture that aims to develop artificial intelligence (AI) systems within Africa rather than importing them from global tech giants.

The partnership brings together Next Digital from Nigeria, Lakeba Group from Australia, AqlanX from the United Arab Emirates, and Agentic Dynamic from the Netherlands. Their goal is to build AI that reflects African languages, regulations, and social needs.

Nigeria will serve as the testing ground for this new model. The venture plans to use existing data centers and digital infrastructure already operating in the country.

“AfricAI is about more than software,” said Prince Malik Ado-Ibrahim, Chairman of Next Digital. “It’s about exporting our intelligence, building our future on our terms, and making Africa a force in the global AI conversation.”

AfricAI will be in direct competition with major American tech companies. Google recently opened an AI Community Center in Ghana and announced $37 million in African social projects. Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon are funding similar programs across the continent.

But critics worry these external efforts exploit African data while keeping control overseas.

“AI for Good is still very much embedded and rooted in the same saviorism from the West towards the global south,” Asma Derja, founder of Ethical AI Alliance, told Rest of World.

AfricAI promises a different path. The venture will focus on creating AI assistants that speak local languages like Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Pidgin. These systems will handle digital identity verification, healthcare services, and government document processing.

Giuseppe Porcelli, CEO of Lakeba Group, called Nigeria “the ideal launchpad for building a truly African AI ecosystem.” His company will provide cybersecurity and automation technology for the project.

The partners plan to train over 100 African AI professionals by 2026. They also want to expand operations to Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Rwanda within two years.

Demetrio Russo, founder of AqlanX, emphasized that “localization, multilingual compliance, and digital trust are core to our AI philosophy.”

Building AI systems requires massive computing power and technical expertise that remain concentrated in wealthy countries. AfricAI must prove it can compete with well-funded American and Chinese companies.

Still, the project represents a new model for AI development in developing regions. Rather than waiting for foreign companies to adapt their systems, African businesses are taking control of the process from the start.

“We believe in scalable, domain-specific automation that truly supports human workflows,” said Eren Sivasli, Chairman of Agentic Dynamic.

The success of AfricAI could influence how other regions approach AI development. If the venture can build effective local systems, it might inspire similar efforts in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and other parts of the developing world.