MacArthur President urges Africa to move from AI talk to action

John Palfrey, president of the MacArthur Foundation, has urged African countries to translate their artificial intelligence (AI) ambitions into practical solutions, calling for greater investment in digital skills and technologies that improve healthcare, inclusion and economic opportunities.

“It is a matter of putting the right skills in the hands of the right young people and then believing in them that they can shape this future,” Mr Palfrey said.

He spoke during a fireside chat titled “Positioning Africa in the Global AI Order: Capital, Talent, and Trust” at the BUILD 2026 Conference in Abuja.

The two-day conference, held from 21 to 22 October, is hosted by the Nigeria AI Collective. The event focuses on the infrastructure, investment, governance and partnerships needed to advance AI development in Africa.

Speaking about technical talent, Mr Palfrey said Nigeria has a growing population of young people interested in technology, but many lack the skills and opportunities to participate meaningfully in the emerging AI economy.

Citing research conducted in Nigeria, he estimated that fewer than 10 per cent of young people had the skills needed to take advantage of these opportunities.

He commended the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme of the federal government, describing it as an important initiative supported by the MacArthur Foundation.

Mr Palfrey said government, philanthropy and the private sector have important roles to play in connecting young people with opportunities. He also highlighted the foundation’s Nigeria Next initiative and partnerships with organisations including the Ford Foundation and Luminate as avenues for bringing capital and ideas into Nigeria’s AI ecosystem.

Responding to concerns about critical thinking in an era of increasing dependence on tools such as ChatGPT, Mr Palfrey cautioned against introducing AI into every aspect of human activity.

He argued that human judgment, lived experience and critical thinking remained essential, particularly in fields such as healthcare, where understanding the circumstances of different communities could lead to important discoveries.

Mr Palfrey also expressed optimism about Africa’s opportunity to influence global AI development, stressing that the continent still had time to shape how the technology evolves.

“There’s urgency, though, to go from talk to build,” he said.

He urged governments, investors and technology developers to focus on measurable outcomes, including improved healthcare, disability inclusion, gender equity and the preservation of lesser-spoken African languages.

Mr Palfrey also highlighted the potential of concessional financing and philanthropic investment to support infrastructure and locally developed AI solutions.

He said investments in connectivity, computing infrastructure and digital tools should be accompanied by efforts to strengthen digital skills and improve people’s livelihoods.

“It’s one thing to lay the fibre. It’s one thing to have access to the tools. But is that actually that smartphone in the pocket of that young person helping them lead a better life, have greater opportunity, thrive in the global ecosystem?” he asked.