Date: 3 November 2026
Venue: Labadi Beach Hotel, Labadi Suite 2, Accra, Ghana
Organizers: United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Research ICT Africa (RIA)
Event: 15th African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF 2026)

About the Event

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Research ICT Africa (RIA), organized the inaugural ECA Innovation Café: Advancing Sustainable Development Through African AI Solutions on 3 November 2026, on the margins of the 15th African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF 2026) in Accra, Ghana.

The Innovation Café provided an interactive platform for African innovators to showcase locally developed artificial intelligence (AI) solutions addressing pressing development challenges and engage directly with policymakers, researchers, investors, development partners and private-sector representatives.

The initiative followed a continental Call for AI Innovations that attracted more than 800 applications from across Africa. Five outstanding innovations, representing Central, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Africa, were selected to demonstrate how African-led technologies can contribute to sustainable development and the continent's digital transformation.

The session sought to bridge the gap between innovation, policy and investment by facilitating practical discussions on the technical, regulatory, financial and institutional support required to scale promising African AI solutions.

Highlights of the Session

Opening remarks were delivered by representatives of Research ICT Africa, ITU and ECA, emphasizing Africa's potential to become an active developer and producer of AI technologies rather than primarily a consumer of solutions developed elsewhere.

Speakers highlighted the importance of investing in African talent, digital infrastructure, research and entrepreneurship, while creating enabling policy environments that support responsible innovation, meaningful inclusion and sustainable growth.

The Innovation Café featured presentations and demonstrations of five selected AI innovations:

1. AgricFresh – Cameroon (Central Africa): An AI-enabled, solar-powered cold storage and market linkage solution designed to reduce post-harvest losses, improve food preservation and strengthen smallholder farmers' access to markets.

2. AI Barabara – Kenya (Eastern Africa): An AI-driven road project management assistant that supports road infrastructure assessment, maintenance planning and evidence-based decision-making.

3. DevisionX Sovereign AI Platform – Egypt (Northern Africa): An AI platform designed for regulated sectors, enabling organizations to adopt AI solutions while addressing data sovereignty, privacy and regulatory compliance requirements.

4. Solarshare – Eswatini (Southern Africa): An AI-enabled solution supporting solar energy monitoring and sharing, with the aim of improving energy access and promoting sustainable energy use.

5. CoreHealth – Nigeria (Western Africa): An AI-powered healthcare management platform integrating clinical documentation, electronic medical records and healthcare workflows to improve service delivery and operational efficiency.

Each presentation was followed by feedback from expert discussants, focusing on technological feasibility, measurable impact, responsible AI practices, business sustainability and opportunities for scaling.

The discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening data protection, ensuring human oversight, validating the socio-economic benefits of AI solutions and developing viable business models. Participants also explored the role of partnerships, financing and supportive regulatory frameworks in enabling innovators to expand beyond initial pilot projects.

Key Outcomes

The Innovation Café demonstrated the growing capacity of African innovators to develop practical, locally relevant AI solutions across critical development sectors.

The session also reinforced the importance of:

• Strengthening collaboration between innovators, governments, investors, research institutions and development partners to support deployment and scaling.

• Promoting responsible and inclusive AI adoption through appropriate governance frameworks, technical standards and enabling regulatory environments.

• Improving access to financing, digital infrastructure, technical expertise and market opportunities for African innovators.

• Supporting continued engagement with selected innovators to translate promising solutions into measurable development outcomes.

The initiative contributed to advancing the implementation of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Action Lines, the Global Digital Compact (GDC), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union Agenda 2063.

By bringing together innovation, policy and investment, the ECA Innovation Café highlighted the importance of moving beyond discussions of technological potential towards practical actions that support African-led innovation, inclusive economic growth and sustainable development.

Documents

• Concept Note and Agenda

Recording

Session recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgETKo9wLoE&t=18s