The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has projected that Africa’s digital economy could generate an additional $180 billion by 2030, but warned the continent risks missing out on the global artificial intelligence (AI) revolution without urgent investments in infrastructure, skills, and regulation.
Speaking at the GITEX Nigeria 2025 conference in Lagos on Wednesday, IFC Regional Director for Central Africa and Anglophone West Africa, Dahlia Khalifa, described AI as the defining technology of this era with the potential to fast-track Africa’s development.
“Artificial intelligence is one of the clearest tools enabling the possibility of a quantum leap forward for the continent, and Nigeria is ground zero,” Khalifa said.
She cautioned, however, that persistent challenges in electricity supply, broadband access, and regulatory frameworks could prevent Africa from fully harnessing AI’s transformative potential.
Globally, AI is projected to add nearly $15 trillion to GDP by 2030—more than the current combined economies of China and India. Khalifa stressed that Africa must act swiftly to avoid being left behind.
“Africa’s digital economy alone is set to contribute about 6 per cent of GDP by 2030 and create up to 230 million jobs. But unless we close infrastructure and policy gaps, these benefits could bypass us,” she warned.
With Africa’s population expected to rise from 1.5 billion to 2.5 billion within 25 years—600 million of them young people entering the labour market—Khalifa argued that the continent’s demographics make it one of the most promising frontiers for digital growth.
“More than 60 per cent of Africans are under 25, and smartphone adoption is rising steadily. This is one of the largest pools of digital natives globally,” she noted.
Africa’s digital economy has already ranked among the fastest-growing in the world over the past decade, attracting global tech investors. Khalifa said this momentum, coupled with the continent’s youthful population, provides a unique opportunity to leapfrog into an AI-driven future—if the right enablers are in place.
She urged governments, private sector leaders, and development partners to work together to expand energy and broadband infrastructure, scale up digital literacy programmes, and introduce forward-looking regulations that encourage innovation while safeguarding citizens.
According to the IFC, timely reforms and investments could allow Africa not just to catch up, but to lead in designing AI solutions for its pressing development challenges, including healthcare, agriculture, education, and financial inclusion.
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