African Ministers Commit to Enhanced Connectivity and AI Development
During the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) Plenipotentiary Conference (CPL-26) in Abuja, African telecommunications ministers adopted a significant declaration focused on fostering meaningful connectivity across the continent. The initiative also launched ATLAS Umoja AI, a Pan-African project aimed at creating artificial intelligence models tailored for African languages. These commitments signal a robust step towards achieving digital inclusion and enhancing access to regionally relevant digital services.
Goals of the Abuja Ministerial Declaration
The Abuja Ministerial Declaration on Meaningful Connectivity for Africa outlines a commitment from governments to implement policies that promote resilient digital infrastructure, technology-neutral regulations, and digital inclusion. It encourages collaboration among governments, regulators, industry stakeholders, and development partners to bridge the connectivity gap and improve digital availability across Africa.
Support from Industry Leaders
The GSMA expressed strong support for the declaration. Caroline Mbugua, the Senior Director for Africa Public Policy, emphasized that this move reflects a shared vision among African governments to ensure meaningful connectivity through evidence-based policies and investment-friendly frameworks.
Calls for Enhanced Cooperation
The ATU Plenipotentiary Council, hosted by Nigeria’s Communications Commission, serves as the primary decision-making entity within the ATU. In his opening remarks, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Dr. Bosun Tijani, urged African nations to enhance collaborative efforts in anticipation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference in Doha later this year. The goal is for African nations to present a unified front on global digital governance issues.
Pan-African AI Initiative for Language Development
Alongside the connectivity declaration, the conference introduced ATLAS Umoja AI, a collaborative effort involving the governments of Benin, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, and Togo, in partnership with the GSMA and several African tech companies including Awarri, Zindi, Pawa AI, and Mozisha. This initiative is designed to develop AI models that are adept at understanding African languages by consolidating datasets, technical expertise, and research contributions from various nations.
Addressing the Language Gap in AI
ATLAS Umoja AI builds on the N-ATLAS (Nigerian Atlas for Languages and AI at Scale), which was launched as Africa’s first government-backed open-source large-scale language model in 2025. Tijani highlighted the need for greater digital sovereignty in Africa, noting that while the continent boasts almost a third of the world’s languages, fewer than 2% are effectively supported by modern AI solutions. This initiative not only paves the way for educational and economic opportunities but also emphasizes the importance of local talent in AI applications.
Addressing the Digital Usage Gap
The AI initiative aligns with the Connectivity Manifesto, aiming to tackle a critical digital challenge in Africa: the availability gap. Many individuals reside within broadband coverage areas but remain offline. Angela Wamora, Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at GSMA, noted that providing AI-driven services and digital content in local languages will enhance digital literacy, making the internet more accessible and engaging for African users. As the ATU-GSMA African ICT Regulatory Leaders Forum addressed policy issues such as spectrum management and regulatory harmonization, the focus remains on expanding low-earth orbit satellite services across the continent.
As Africa embarks on these transformative initiatives, the engagement of additional ATU member states in ATLAS Umoja AI will be closely watched. The effectiveness of the policies endorsed in Abuja will be critically assessed at the forthcoming ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Doha.
