CameroonOnline.org Cameroon news, Actualité Camerounaise, live Web TV & Radio, World News and a lot more
Related Articles
• Cameroon launched its AI strategy to become Africa’s leading hub by 2040, with goals for jobs, training, and GDP growth.
• It focuses on governance, infrastructure, local language models, edge computing, talent, and regional cooperation.
• The IMF ranks Cameroon low in AI readiness (0.34/1), citing gaps the strategy aims to close.
We are Tech | On Monday, July 7, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Minette Libom Li Likeng unveiled Cameroon’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (SNIA) during the second edition of the National Consultations on AI. This strategy, anchored in a vision for 2040, aims to position the country as a continental AI hub by focusing on sovereign, inclusive, and sustainable solutions rooted in African cultural realities.
The SNIA seeks to make Cameroon “the leading AI hub in Africa” by promoting solutions based on African values. Its key targets include training 60,000 individuals, with 40 percent being women. The strategy also aims to create 12,000 direct jobs, generate a GDP contribution from AI of between 0.8 percent and 1.2 percent, and develop 12 sovereign, high-impact AI solutions. Special attention is given to linguistic diversity through the development of multilingual models that incorporate national languages.
Seven Structural Pillars to Deliver the Strategy
The strategic document is built around seven interdependent pillars. The first pillar focuses on governance and digital sovereignty. This includes establishing a Cameroonian AI Authority, a Presidential Council on AI, and drafting a framework law that addresses ethical considerations and inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms. The second pillar addresses data and digital infrastructure, calling for the creation of a government Data Lake, mass digitization of public services, interoperability standards, and a targeted Open Data policy.
The third pillar promotes multilingual and inclusive AI through the development of a local language model, referred to as “GPT Cameroon.” It also emphasizes enhancing national languages via linguistic research and voice data collection. The fourth pillar targets sovereign technological infrastructure, including the deployment of 15 regional Edge Computing nodes powered by solar microgrids to strengthen energy resilience.
The fifth pillar is dedicated to training, research, and human capital. Plans include establishing five AI centers of excellence, training 4,000 people annually, implementing a diaspora talent return program, and providing greater support for local research. The sixth pillar centers on innovation and sector-specific use cases. This aims to support startups through accelerators and encourage AI adoption in key areas such as health, agriculture, justice, and education.
Lastly, the seventh pillar emphasizes cooperation and regional outreach. This involves creating an AI network for Central Africa, strengthening international partnerships, and exporting “Made in Cameroon” digital solutions.
According to the 2024 AI Preparedness Index published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Cameroon scores 0.34 out of 1. This places it in the lower half of the global ranking. The country lags in digital infrastructure and innovation but shows promising potential in human capital. The national strategy specifically aims to address these gaps by accelerating regulatory alignment and encouraging AI adoption across public services.
With this roadmap, Cameroon aims to align with the continent’s broader digital transformation momentum and fully harness emerging technologies to support its socio-economic development.
