By Obinna Uballa
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has thrown its weight behind a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) training programme aimed at fast-tracking the implementation of Africa’s continental development blueprint, Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
Through its Joint Secretariat Support Office, the Bank provided technical and financial support for the 5th Annual Training Workshop for African Union (AU) member states on using AI to strengthen monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on the Second Ten-Year Plan (2024–2033) of Agenda 2063.
The five-day event, held in Lusaka, Zambia, was jointly organised by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF). It brought together representatives from AU member states to build technical skills in deploying AI tools and digital innovations to track and report progress on the continent’s flagship development agenda.
Participants received hands-on training in emerging AI platforms such as Ailyse, ChatGPT, Google AI Studio, Google Gemini, and Perplexity, learning how these tools can enhance data analysis, decision-making, and evidence-based policy development.
Abibu Tamu, Lead Programme Co-ordinator at the AfDB, said the initiative reflects the Bank’s commitment to boosting results-based planning, accountability, and digital transformation within the AU framework.
“These tools are not only revolutionising how data is collected, analysed, and reported, they are also enabling more targeted policy interventions and efficient resource allocation,” Tamu noted.
The workshop also served as a forum for peer learning, with participating countries exchanging innovative approaches and best practices in national development planning and results-based reporting.
The Bank says the programme is part of broader efforts to strengthen institutional and human capacity across Africa, positioning AI as a key enabler of socio-economic transformation under Agenda 2063’s Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan.
