East African AI Policy Hub Launched to Advance Ethical AI Governance Across the Region
The artificial intelligence landscape in Africa is changing fast, with countries moving to develop strategies and policies that balance the benefits of AI with its potential risks. Over the past five years, the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law (CIPIT) at Strathmore University has built deep expertise in the African AI ecosystem. Through research, stakeholder engagement, training, and policy influence, CIPIT has emerged as a leading voice in AI governance and played a significant role in shaping Kenya’s National AI Strategy.
Building on this foundation, CIPIT has now launched the East African AI Policy Hub with support from the AI4D program. Unveiled at the recent COSAA conference held in Nairobi at the beginning of June, the Hub will drive a collaborative, region-wide approach to developing responsible and ethical AI policy across East Africa.
The Hub’s main objectives include:
- Acting as a collaborative platform for knowledge sharing and policy dialogue
- Producing and advancing evidence-based knowledge on AI governance
- Strengthening inclusive, gender-sensitive, and disability-sensitive approaches
- Promoting an accountable and participatory AI ecosystem
- Supporting more cohesive, integrated policy frameworks across the region
By building partnerships and empowering diverse stakeholders, the East African AI Policy Hub aims to guide informed, ethical, and inclusive policymaking to shape Africa’s AI future.
"For the past five years, the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law at Strathmore University has been quietly but determinedly building something extraordinary. Through rigorous research, stakeholder engagement, training programs, and collaborative activities, CIPIT has established itself as an authoritative voice in AI governance across our region. Our holistic and interdisciplinary approach has significantly contributed to the evolving African AI landscape, with our fingerprints visible on critical policy frameworks, including our role in providing legal and regulatory support to the Kenya National AI Strategy. The question CIPIT is tasked with now isn't whether artificial intelligence will transform our societies, it's whether we'll be prepared to guide that transformation responsibly. As we stand at this crossroad, the East African region faces both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges in the AI space. The East African AI Policy Hub emerges from a simple but powerful recognition: our challenges are shared, our opportunities are interconnected, and our solutions must be collaborative. We cannot afford to develop AI policies in silos when the technology itself knows no borders."
Dr Melissa Omino, Director, CIPIT
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