African telecommunications ministers have adopted the Abuja Ministerial Declaration on Meaningful Connectivity for Africa and launched ATLAS Umoja AI, a continent-wide artificial intelligence initiative aimed at expanding digital inclusion and accelerating the development of AI models for African languages.
The announcements were made during the African Telecommunications Union (ATU) Conference of Plenipotentiaries (CPL-26) in Abuja, where ministers and heads of delegation agreed on a coordinated approach to strengthening Africa’s digital transformation through improved connectivity and locally relevant AI innovation.
The declaration commits governments to promoting policies that expand meaningful connectivity through resilient digital infrastructure, technology-neutral regulation, digital inclusion and locally relevant digital services. It also calls for stronger collaboration between governments, regulators, industry stakeholders and development partners to address Africa’s connectivity and digital usage gaps.
Alongside the declaration, delegates launched ATLAS Umoja AI, a collaborative initiative bringing together the governments of Benin, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria and Togo, alongside the GSMA and African technology companies including Awarri, Zindi, Pawa AI and Mozisha. The platform aims to accelerate the development of AI models that understand African languages by pooling datasets, research and technical expertise from across the continent.
The initiative builds on Nigeria’s N-ATLAS project, Africa’s first government-backed open-source multilingual large language model, and seeks to strengthen Africa’s digital sovereignty while improving access to AI-powered services in local languages. According to stakeholders, expanding AI support for African languages will help improve digital literacy, increase internet adoption and make digital services more relevant to communities across the continent.
The twin initiatives underscore Africa’s growing commitment to building inclusive digital infrastructure and locally developed AI ecosystems as governments prepare to present coordinated positions on global digital governance during the upcoming International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference.
