The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that sub-Saharan Africa risks missing out on one of the biggest economic opportunities of the decade unless governments move swiftly to invest in electricity, digital infrastructure, internet connectivity and workforce skills needed to support the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). In a new report titled “Africa Can Grow Faster With AI—If It Moves Now,” the IMF said AI has the potential to increase the region’s economic output by about four per cent over the next 10 years. The report estimates that under an ambitious reform scenario, AI could add roughly four per cent to regional GDP over the coming decade, but without significant improvements, AI’s contribution could be as little as 0.2 per cent. The IMF noted that Africa currently ranks lowest on its AI Preparedness Index due to weak digital infrastructure, limited technical capacity, inadequate regulations and insufficient investment. Nearly half of sub-Saharan Africa’s population still lacks access to dependable power, and only about 38 per cent of Africans were using the internet in 2024, compared with the global average of approximately 68 per cent.