Inclusive AI Governance

Summary

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming economies, governance systems, and public
service delivery around the world. Across Africa, governments are exploring AI applications in
sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, financial services, and public administration to improve
service delivery and accelerate development. However, the adoption of AI also raises critical
governance challenges. Without deliberate policy safeguards, AI systems can reinforce
existing inequalities, exclude marginalized populations from digital benefits, and undermine
fundamental rights through biased algorithms, opaque decision-making, and intrusive data
practices.

This advocacy brief builds on insights from AI governance masterclasses delivered by Qhala
Trust for policymakers in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. These programs brought together
public servants from diverse ministries and regulatory bodies to examine the opportunities and
risks associated with AI deployment in African contexts. Discussions during these sessions
consistently revealed two key realities: first, policymakers are increasingly expected to make
decisions about AI technologies despite limited technical literacy; and second, many existing
global AI governance models do not adequately reflect African social, economic, and cultural
contexts. These findings underscore the urgent need for governance frameworks that are
grounded in local realities while safeguarding fundamental rights and promoting inclusive
development.

Drawing from these lessons, this advocacy brief advances a framework for inclusive AI
governance rooted in a rights-based approach, the mitigation of digital exclusion, and the
integration of African values into technological governance. Inclusive AI governance
recognizes that AI systems must be designed and governed in ways that protect human
dignity, promote equity, and ensure that technological benefits reach all members of society.
This requires policy approaches that prioritize citizen participation, gender inclusion, equitable
access to digital infrastructure, and the development of locally relevant data and innovation
ecosystems.

The brief outlines key priorities for African governments and development partners, including
strengthening AI literacy within public institutions, developing governance frameworks
grounded in human rights principles, investing in local data and infrastructure, and fostering
multi-stakeholder collaboration across government, academia, civil society, and the private
sector. By adopting inclusive governance models, African countries can ensure that AI
becomes a tool for advancing sustainable development and social equity rather than
deepening existing divides