In this episode of the AI Futures Podcast, host Anirudh sat down with Didier Nkurikiyimfura from Smart Africa, who shares insights from across the continent, spanning governments, startups, and regional institutions working at the frontlines of digital transformation.This episode unpacks:- How African countries are thinking about AI today, in terms of both opportunities and risks?- How does Africa see AI as an accelerator for development, from healthcare to education to financial systems?- What are the structural challenges the continent faces?- How are initiatives like Smart Africa are working to build a single digital market across 50+ countries?- Why regulation, data governance, and policy harmonization are central to scaling AI across the continent- What could meaningful India–Africa collaboration on AI could look like—from compute to skilling to institutions?- How can Africa’s young population become an important force shaping the future of AI?They discuss the broader idea of the “Great Tech Game”—and whether AI presents a rare opportunity for regions that missed earlier industrial waves to redefine their trajectory. This is a conversation about markets, power, demographics, and development—and why no serious discussion about the future of AI can ignore Africa.🎧 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.----Follow the India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/About the Guest: Didier Nkurikiyimfura is the Director of Technology and Innovation at the Smart Africa Secretariat. As the Chief Technology and Innovation Officer (CTIO), he supports Smart Africa on the overall policy and regulatory matters, organizational strategy, programme and project management, operations, partnership and resource mobilization. He also leads the implementation of several cross-border tech projects in Africa, such as the intra-African cross-border fiber connectivity, increasing Africa’s Internet affordability and accessibility, regional Data Centers, Smart Cities, African entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems strengthening, interoperable pan-african Digital ID and the Smart Africa scholarship fund among others, with the ultimate goal of contributing to Africa’s economic growth and job creation.About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast:Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AIFuturesPodcast #AISummit #AI #Africa #AIAfrica #AfricaRising #DigitalAfrica #SmartAfrica #AfricanInnovation #AfricaTech #StartupAfrica