Burkina Faso is entering the big leagues of technology with the launch of Aïobi, the first DeepTech in West Africa, founded by Burkinabè entrepreneur Bowendsom Nikiema. The goal is to transform the “invisible” aspects of African companies – the operational tasks that absorb 90% of working time – into levers of performance and competitiveness.
Trained between Ouagadougou, Nantes, and Sydney, with dual degrees and certifications in agile management and Lean Six Sigma, Bowendsom Nikiema is leveraging his international expertise for Africa. After supporting the digital transformation of groups like BURVAL Corporate, he now aims to take African champions to a global scale with artificial intelligence designed for local realities. “Western giants offer standardized solutions. We know that the market in Ouagadougou is not the same as in Abidjan, Lomé, or Bangui. Our strength lies in this knowledge of the field,” he emphasizes in an interview with Wakat Séra.
Aïobi relies on a strategic alliance with BURVAL Corporate and BBS Holding, a pan-African leader in private security present in eight countries with 12,000 employees. This integration transforms three decades of operational experience into tailored artificial intelligence solutions: process optimization, computer vision, behavioral analysis, and flow mapping. Already, pilot clients are testing these tools in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, and several other countries in the region.
The ambition is clear: methodically conquer the continent and establish an African DeepTech capable of competing with global standards. “I saw Dubai being built in fifty years in the desert. Africa can do better and faster. But it requires work, not slogans,” emphasizes the founder.
Bowendsom Nikiema sums up his philosophy in one phrase: “The Invisible is Our Playground.” A vision that the Burkinabè media Wakat Séra recently highlighted, emphasizing the young entrepreneur’s desire to turn Africa into a producer of high-value technological solutions, rather than just a consumer market.
