A new international study has revealed that African countries, including Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Rwanda, are missing from the list of the world’s most innovative nations in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

According to a new study by Linkee, an AI-powered link-building automation software company, designed to identify the countries winning the AI innovation race, it showed that the African continent was nowhere in the race. The report states that more than 80% of African countries are so far behind in artificial intelligence (AI) preparedness that they don’t even rank in global readiness categories. Only Egypt, Nigeria, and Kenya are considered “nascent,” while Morocco, South Africa, and Tunisia are “waking up.”

By contrast, the United States and China remain the only “power players,” dominating global AI development, funding, and influence.

Several African nations – including Rwanda, Ghana, and Senegal – have drafted AI strategies, but experts warn that many are overly dependent on foreign models. At the recent NADPA conference, experts stressed the importance of building local, context-specific policies to ensure AI serves African development needs rather than importing global biases.

While artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how countries operate from healthcare and education to finance, climate, and transportation – students in African countries remain the least likely to have access to computer science (CS) education, the very foundation needed to participate in this transformation.

“Africa must not outsource its AI future,” a senior official of the Rwandan ministry of science and technology recently stated to newsmen at the recent NAPDPA conference. “Using foreign-made models disconnected from our languages and values could deepen inequality.”

The copy-paste approach to policy is not new. Nigeria’s 2019 Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) closely mirrors the EU’s GDPR, helping kick-start local awareness around data privacy. But analysts argue that the NDPR lacks strong enforcement and overlooks local priorities, like children’s rights and automated decision-making safeguards.

As of mid-2025, only nine African countries have formal AI strategies. Another nine are in the process. Mauritius led the way in 2018, while Kenya formed a national task force on AI and blockchain the same year. Still, many countries remain unranked, under-resourced, or dependent on imported models that may not reflect African realities.

Experts call for a more localized approach – one that balances global standards with African-specific challenges, including informal economies, data scarcity, and language inclusion. Without it, AI could widen existing digital divides rather than bridge them.

According to the Linkee report, the United States (U.S) is the most innovative country in AI, with the highest number of AI models created and $77.6 billion invested in the sector.

The strongest demand for AI talent is seen in Singapore, with over 200 job openings per one million residents.

Switzerland has the highest number of AI patents, with 18 innovations per 100,000 residents.

The study examined five key factors of national AI strength: AI patents per capita, the number of AI models (machine learning systems), total investments in AI, the share of workers using AI in daily work, and the AI job openings per one million people. These factors were combined into a composite score, which ranked countries in descending order of AI innovation and readiness.

The U.S secured first place in the global AI innovation race with a near-perfect score of 99. It is home to 561 AI models and invests more than any other country, putting $77.7billion into the field, almost $70billion ahead of its closest competitor. AI has also become part of everyday work, with 71per cent of employees using artificial intelligence tools.

The study also mapped the location of advanced AI infrastructure and revealed that only 32 countries — just 16% of the world — currently operate major AI data centres.

These facilities are essential for training and developing modern AI systems. In contrast, most African nations remain dependent on foreign technology providers, limiting their control over digital development.

Rather than building local capacity, Africa has essentially been treated as a market for AI products developed elsewhere. Regional leaders have often focused on distributing global tech tools instead of investing in infrastructure for homegrown innovation.

One notable exception is Strive Masiyiwa’s Cassava Technologies, which recently partnered with Nvidia to launch the continent’s first AI factory, which is located in South Africa. The project aims to expand across Egypt, Kenya, Morocco and Nigeria.

Unlike typical data centres, an AI factory is explicitly built to support the full AI lifecycle, from raw data to trained models. Nvidia’s GPUs will power the facility, enabling ‘AI as a service’ to be used by governments, businesses, and researchers across the continent.

Cassava’s model offers a more sustainable vision, where African data is used to create local solutions, instead of exporting value abroad.

Experts argue that Africa needs more such initiatives to reduce dependence and participate meaningfully in the AI economy. An AI Fund supported by leading African nations could help finance new factories and infrastructure.

AI is not the future, it’s the present. And it’s advancing faster than we’ve seen with any previous wave of technology. Africa just needs strategy, investment, and a sense of urgency.

The world is moving. Africa must move too.