South African AI investment
to reach $3.7b

AI investment in South Africa is expected to reach $3.7-billion by 2030, according to a new Mastercard whitepaper, Harnessing the transformative power of AI in Africa. This follows $610-million in AI-focused venture capital the country attracted in 2023.

The pan-African study was launched last week in Nairobi, Kenya. It unveils the continent’s readiness, opportunity and roadmap for responsible AI adoption. The research provides insights into how AI, if deployed responsibly and inclusively, can unlock transformative outcomes across the continent’s major industries, including agriculture, healthcare, education, energy and finance.

With Africa’s AI market projected to grow from $4.5-billion in 2025 to $16.5-billion by 2030 according to a recent report from Statista, the whitepaper presents a case for multi-stakeholder collaboration and investment. It highlights how Africa’s distinct demographics, mobile-first infrastructure and entrepreneurial spirit position it as an active architect of the future.

SA has the highest data and infrastructure readiness on the continent. The country is solidifying a role as a continental leader in AI research and application. It is home to the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa which serves as a gateway for students and professionals to access world-class education, research and industry news. National plans aim to develop up to 300 AI start-ups and train 5,000 AI professionals by 2030. The aim is to create a foundation for a vibrant, homegrown AI ecosystem.

“Africa’s engagement with AI is already reshaping lives – not just in labs, but in farms, clinics and classrooms,” says Mark Elliott, division president, Africa at Mastercard. “To unlock its full potential, we need investment in infrastructure, data, talent, and policy. At Mastercard, we believe responsible, locally rooted AI can drive inclusive growth and connect more people to opportunity.”

The whitepaper outlines the potential positive impact of AI on digital infrastructure, policy and governance, research and development, local language processing and investment into Africa. It explores how AI can accelerate job creation, with up to 230-million digital jobs projected by 2030, and increase access to formal finance through AI-enabled credit scoring and fraud prevention.

Greg Ulrich, chief AI and data officer at Mastercard, says: “AI is only as powerful as the trust behind it. At Mastercard, we’re committed to building AI that’s responsible, inclusive, and built to bring value to our customers, partners and employees. This isn’t just innovation – it’s innovation with integrity.”

Regional highlights – Harnessing the transformative power of AI in Africa

Kenya: An emerging leader in AI innovation, Kenya has leveraged its Silicon Savannah status to deploy AI across sectors securely. Platforms like Tala use mobile data for credit scoring, while Jacaranda Health’s UlizaLlama, an AI-powered chatbot, provides maternal health support in five local languages. The newly launched National AI Strategy (2025-2030) outlines the government’s commitment to positioning Kenya as a regional leader in AI research and development, innovation and commercialisation for socioeconomic development.

Nigeria: Nigeria ranks second in the number of AI startups in Africa and secured $218-million in VC investment in 2023. As one of Africa’s most dynamic AI ecosystems, Nigeria is using AI to personalise learning (Rising Academies), deliver microfinance via Kudi.ai, and strengthen governance with AI tools that monitor public fund allocation. With a $1.4-billion projected AI market size by 2025, the government’s proactive approach, combined with growing private-sector innovation, suggests promising growth in AI applications.

Morocco: An emerging AI hub in North Africa, Morocco is advancing AI adoption across healthcare, energy, agriculture, and finance. Institutions such as Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and DeepEcho are driving local innovation, while the MoroccoAI Annual Conference is shaping national dialogue on the future of AI. Under its Digital 2030 strategy, Morocco aims to attract $1.1-billion in investment and create 240,000 digital jobs by 2030. Despite this progress, the whitepaper warns that data fragmentation, language exclusion and regulatory inconsistency could deepen the digital divide.

* Download the whitepaper, ‘Harnessing the transformative power of AI in Africa’, here.