KIGALI, Rwanda — A growing chorus of African leaders, technologists, and investors are calling time on foreign dependence, urging the continent to take charge of its economic and digital future.
Speaking at the Africa Soft Power Summit 2025, held in Kigali from May 22–23, delegates from across the continent pushed for stronger governance around artificial intelligence and greater economic self-determination.
“Our future depends on economic nationalism,” said Edwin Macharia, co-founder of Axum.Earth and a board member at Mozilla. “We need to invest in our own asset classes, build across borders, and create wealth that stays on the continent.”
Macharia criticised the fact that much of the funding for African startups still comes from outside the continent, warning that external control limits innovation and slows meaningful progress. He also called out the absence of pension funds and institutional investors in Africa’s capital markets a gap he says weakens local ownership.
A Question of Control
Across panel sessions, one message stood out: Africa must write its own digital and economic playbook.
Dr Saitina, a policy advocate, warned that Africa risks becoming a “testing ground” for unregulated biotechnology and artificial intelligence. She called on governments to develop clear, enforceable rules to guide innovation rules that distinguish real progress from what she called “marketing gimmicks dressed as AI.”
Others agreed. “AI must serve African priorities, not just global tech companies,” said Bernard Kinara, General Manager of Interswitch Kenya. He pointed to tools that help break down language and gender barriers in tech, but cautioned against the risks of bias in algorithms.
Policy First, Not Just Tech
Nigeria’s Central Bank was blunt about what’s needed. “Technology can support us,” said Philip Ikeazor, Director General of Financial System Stability. “But it’s policy that must lead.”
He explained that Nigeria is already enforcing strict anti-money laundering and fraud detection standards. AI helps, he said, but regulation is doing the heavy lifting.
Panels on infrastructure, meanwhile, laid bare a harsh reality: innovation struggles without power, security, and basic systems. Representatives from MasterCard Foundation and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System said that poor infrastructure is still driving up costs and holding back financial inclusion.
Inclusion Must Be Measurable
The summit opened with a powerful message on leadership and inclusion. At the Remarkable Africa Women Leadership Conference, Kenya’s Chief Justice Martha Koome and MP Millie Odhiambo Mabona challenged institutions to move beyond tokenism.
“Inclusion is an investment in ourselves,” said Dr Nkiru Balonwu, founder of the Africa Soft Power Group. She called on men to act as mentors and champions for gender equity, noting that women in Africa make up the largest voting bloc on the continent a force too powerful to ignore.
Chief Justice Koome spoke about how Kenya’s courts are shifting from adversarial arenas to platforms for mediation and empowerment. “It’s not just about justice,” she said. “It’s about voice and dignity.”
The Path Ahead
From AI governance to agriculture, from financial tech to cultural power, the summit covered a wide sweep. But at its core was a shared belief: that Africa’s development must be shaped by Africans not donors, not foreign investors, not outside tech firms.
Still, the challenges are real. Trust in digital systems is fragile. Data protection laws remain weak. Digital literacy is uneven. And too often, local talent is left out of the decision-making process.
Yet the tone in Kigali was not one of complaint. It was about resolve.
As one technologist on the AI governance panel put it: “We don’t need to catch up. We need to move differently and move together.”
