Smart Africa strengthens parliamentary capacity for AI governance across West Africa

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

Smart Africa has advanced efforts to strengthen legislative readiness for Africa’s digital transformation agenda through a regional capacity-building workshop focused on artificial intelligence governance.

The initiative, led by Smart Africa through the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Certa Foundation, was held during the West Africa Internet Governance Forum 2026.

The workshop brought together parliamentarians from 10 countries across West Africa and aimed to address growing gaps in technical understanding among policymakers tasked with regulating rapidly evolving AI systems.

Organisers said the training was designed to equip legislators with practical knowledge and tools to support the development of informed AI policies, strengthen oversight mechanisms, and improve governance frameworks for digital transformation across the continent.

According to Smart Africa, artificial intelligence is increasingly reshaping economies, governance systems and public service delivery, creating new opportunities for productivity, innovation and inclusive growth, while also presenting complex regulatory challenges.

The organisation noted that empowering policymakers is critical to ensuring that Africa’s emerging AI strategies and the broader Single Digital Market initiative are effectively implemented in ways that promote sustainable socio-economic development.

The workshop forms part of broader continental efforts to build institutional capacity and ensure that African governments are better positioned to regulate and harness emerging technologies for development outcomes.