The Pan-African AI Summit will be held again in Accra in September 2026, organizers have announced. The second edition will be held at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City from September 22nd to 23rd.
The 2026 Summit will focus on expanding Africa’s ethical artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem with the theme “Expanding Africa’s Ethical AI Ecosystem: Youth Empowerment, Policies, Partnerships and Skills”. This event follows on from the inaugural event in 2025, which attracted approximately 1,000 in-person and virtual attendees, 43 speakers, and delegates from more than 30 countries.
According to organizers Pan African AI Summits and Corporate Training Ltd, the next summit will build on the achievements of the first summit, which focused on the $1 billion Ghana-United Arab Emirates (UAE) innovation and technology hub, strengthening Ghana’s position as the continent’s digital leader.
The 2026 program will focus on four areas: One is youth empowerment through expanded masterclasses and mentorship programs. Policy development through ministerial and expert roundtables. Increased partnership and investment opportunities, including enhanced AI pitch competitions. and the ethical application of AI in key sectors such as education, agriculture, health, and finance.
The youth empowerment initiative aims to equip young Africans with practical AI skills and provide them with career and entrepreneurship opportunities in the technology sector through hands-on training sessions and structured mentorship programs. Policy development sessions will host ministerial-level discussions, allowing policymakers, regulators and industry leaders to exchange ideas on AI governance, data protection, ethics and regulation.
The summit is expected to provide more opportunities for cooperation between startups, investors, governments and development partners. Plans are underway to enhance the AI Pitch Competition introduced at the inaugural Summit, with the aim of connecting African AI startups with funding, mentorship and market access.
Discussions and case studies will explore how artificial intelligence can be applied responsibly across key sectors of African economies. The goal is to promote solutions that are inclusive, culturally relevant, and aligned with Africa’s development priorities.
The first Summit, held on 23 and 24 September 2025, was hosted by Alphavecta Technologies in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications, Digital Technologies and Innovation. The event showcased how small, medium, and large enterprises can leverage AI to enhance productivity, competitiveness, and growth.
Announced during the inaugural summit, the Ghana-UAE Innovation and Technology Hub signifies a USD 1 billion Memorandum of Understanding signed with Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority and Presight AI. The hub is scheduled to begin construction in 2026 in Ningo Prampram and aims to position Ghana as the AI epicenter of West Africa, creating thousands of high-value jobs and fostering collaboration with global technology giants.
The hub will support AI research, development, and deployment, as well as train local talent through initiatives such as the One Million Programmers program. Industry players say the decision to bring the summit back to Accra reflects Ghana’s growing role in Africa’s digital transformation efforts. Over the past few years, Ghana has invested in digital public infrastructure, technology hubs and innovation-friendly policies, attracting attention from international technology companies and development partners.
The summit aligns with broader continental AI efforts, including the Africa AI Council, which was established by Smart Africa in November 2025 to provide strategic recommendations for AI governance across Africa. The council, chaired by Rwandan President Paul Kagame, is made up of 42 African heads of state and aims to ensure Africa leads rather than follows in the global AI transformation.
Additionally, the Global AI Summit held in Kigali in April 2025 produced the Africa Declaration on Artificial Intelligence, signed by ministers from 49 countries, outlining a commitment to ethical, trustworthy and inclusive AI adoption.
Organizers are keeping participation free to expand access to AI knowledge across the continent, continuing the policy from the first event. The 2026 summit is expected to include government officials including ministers and policymakers, central bank leaders responsible for regulating the financial sector, global technology companies, academics and civil society representatives.
While challenges remain such as limited infrastructure, skills gaps and funding constraints, organizers say sustained dialogue, partnerships and investment can help unlock Africa’s AI potential. He added that the 2026 edition aims to go beyond awareness and focus more on practice, implementing activities aimed at linking discussions to concrete outcomes.
Preparations are underway and organizers are calling for strategic partners to support efforts aimed at advancing Africa’s AI agenda. Sponsorship packages offer a variety of benefits, including branding opportunities, speaking slots, and exclusive networking events.
