The President and Chairman of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, spotlighted the strategic importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Africa’s development at the 2025 Rebranding Africa Forum in Brussels, Belgium. Speaking during the “Hard Talk” session on October 10, 2025, Dr. Donkor outlined how AI can drive productivity, competitiveness, and digital sovereignty, setting out a practical roadmap that prioritises enabling infrastructure, talent, responsible governance, and interoperable digital systems.
Dr. Donkor emphasised that AI represents a transformative tool for Africa’s growth story with a multisectoral impact. He cited examples of AI at work in agriculture, where AI boosts yields by providing farmers with key data on weather and pest detection and in healthcare, where AI diagnostic platforms facilitate early disease detection and personalised treatment, to improve patient outcomes.
He underscored that Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) must embrace AI as a strategic lever to scale investments, strengthen risk management, and ensure measurable development impact. By integrating AI into project appraisal, portfolio monitoring, and impact evaluation, DFIs can allocate capital more effectively and catalyse innovation-driven growth across Africa.
Under Dr Donkor’s leadership, EBID has invested in a number of technology-driven projects, including ICT parks and digital skills training programmes across ECOWAS Member States. EBID’s project pipeline includes support for regional data centres, fintech solutions for MSMEs, and technology-enabled logistics platforms, all of which underscore the Bank’s commitment to innovation.
“We are dedicated to building resilient, sovereign, and inclusive digital foundations,” Dr. Donkor stated, “so that West African innovators and enterprises can scale solutions, create quality jobs, and compete globally.”
The President of EBID invited partners to engage with the Bank during RAF 2025 to co-create financing vehicles and technical assistance facilities that deliver measurable and tangible outcomes. He stressed that harnessing AI would not only unlock Africa’s economic potential but also secure its digital sovereignty and global competitiveness.
