The GSMA, together with a coalition of major technology and telecom partners, has announced a continent-wide collaboration to strengthen Africa’s artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem by developing inclusive African AI language models.
The initiative was unveiled at MWC Kigali 2025, under the banner “AI Language Models in Africa, by Africa, for Africa.” It brings together leading telecom operators — Airtel, Axian Telecom, Ethio Telecom, MTN, Orange, and Vodacom — alongside Cassava Technologies, Lelapa AI, Pawa AI, Masakhane African Languages Hub, Qhala, Awarri, the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), and the World Sandbox Alliance.
Addressing Africa’s Language Gap in AI
The collaboration aims to “crowd in resources and expertise” across four critical pillars — data, compute, talent, and policy — to ensure African languages, cultures, and knowledge are properly represented in the digital age.
“Africa’s diversity of languages and cultures is one of our greatest strengths, yet it has too often been overlooked in the development of global AI systems,” said Angela Wamola, GSMA Head of Africa. “This initiative is about turning that challenge into an opportunity — building African-led AI capacity and ensuring Africa shapes the digital future on its own terms.”
According to the GSMA’s AI for Africa report series, over 2,000 languages are spoken across the continent, yet only a fraction are supported in existing digital systems or large language models (LLMs). This imbalance, the GSMA warns, risks widening digital and economic divides.
Building African-Led AI Capacity
The initiative’s objective is to develop AI language models trained on African languages and local data, enabling the creation of tools and applications tailored to African social, cultural, and economic realities.
Use cases could include:
- AI-powered translation tools that enable cross-border communication.
- Chatbots and virtual assistants that understand and respond in local dialects.
- Education and government services powered by AI that reflects African contexts.
The collaboration follows a GSMA-led feasibility study confirming that African-led language models are technically feasible and economically viable, provided there is collective investment and policy alignment.
Collective Leadership and Accountability
To ensure sustained impact, dedicated working groups will be established to drive measurable progress across key focus areas — data quality and access, computing infrastructure, AI talent development, and policy coordination.
Participating partners will showcase outcomes and share progress at upcoming GSMA events to maintain accountability and transparency.
The GSMA has also issued an open call for ecosystem partners — including startups, academia, creative industries, civil society, and global technology players — to join and contribute to the project.
A Turning Point for Africa’s Digital Inclusion
This pan-African initiative builds on growing global interest in inclusive AI. In July 2025, Google announced major investments to advance AI tools supporting over 40 African languages, while African startups such as Lelapa AI and Pawa AI continue pioneering local language models.
The GSMA’s coordinated effort signals a continental shift from AI adoption to AI creation, ensuring Africa’s linguistic and cultural diversity forms part of the foundation of the world’s digital future — not an afterthought.
“By working together,” Wamola said, “we can make AI more inclusive, more relevant, and more reflective of the world we live in.”
