- Date: 8 October 2026
- Place: N’Djamena, Chad
- Convened by: The Government of Chad, through the Ministry of Telecommunications, the Digital Economy and Digitalisation, with support from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
- Event type: National stakeholder pre-validation workshop
Chad has taken an important step towards adopting its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy following a stakeholder pre-validation workshop held in N’Djamena on 8 October 2026. Supported by ECA, the workshop enabled national stakeholders to review the draft strategy, assess its relevance to national priorities and clarify responsibilities for implementation.
Developed through several months of consultation and technical work, the draft strategy sets out Chad’s proposed artificial intelligence priorities for 2027–2035. The purpose of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy is to provide Chad with a coherent national framework for the responsible development and use of AI, and to promote inclusive and practical approach to AI, grounded in national development needs, stronger data governance and the country’s existing digital transformation programmes.
Specifically, the strategy is intended to:
- guide the adoption of AI in areas that respond to Chad’s development priorities;
- support the country’s digital transformation;
- improve the delivery of services to citizens;
- strengthen national institutional and technical capacities;
- establish responsible, ethical and regulatory governance for AI;
- promote trusted data systems and appropriate infrastructure; and
- ensure that AI contributes to inclusive economic and social development.
A key feature of the approach is its human-centred ambition. By 2035, AI should help people in Chad access healthcare, information, production opportunities and public services in languages they understand, while respecting their rights and national sovereignty.
The process brought together members of the Chad AI Technical Committee, which has been central to the national ownership and technical credibility of the strategy. They reviewed the evidence base and draft chapters, contributed sectoral expertise, assessed the feasibility of priority initiatives and helped ensure that the proposed strategy reflected Chad’s institutional, economic and social realities.
The committee structure included, Ministry as Chair, the Director-General of Artificial Intelligence as First Vice-Chair; the Deputy Director-General of ADETIC as Second Vice-Chair; representatives responsible for governance and higher education as rapporteurs; representatives of MTENDA, ARCEP, ADETIC, ENASTIC and ANSICE; representatives of the ministries responsible for higher education, education, health, agriculture and the public service; representatives of the Secretariat-General of Government; research and academic institutions; telecommunications and connectivity providers; digital startups and incubators; and representation from civil society, traditional authorities and the diaspora identified for inclusion.
The consultation findings showed support for practical AI applications, provided that the initiatives were adapted to infrastructure, data, capacity and recurring-cost constraints.
The pre-validation workshop helped refine governance mechanisms and implementation responsibilities. The next intended stage is to finalise the strategy for submission to the Government, followed by the national adoption process and engagement with partners on implementation financing.
Related Announcements:
