Addis Ababa, May 17, 2025 (FMC) — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) stated that Africa is entering a transformative era where homegrown artificial intelligence can serve as a catalyst for inclusive prosperity and play a pivotal role in achieving the objectives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Speaking at the ‘AI for Africa’ program held today under the theme “Leveraging AI for Africa’s Prosperity & Collaboration”—a featured session of the ongoing Ethiopian Tech Expo 2025 (ETEX 2025)—the Prime Minister underscored Ethiopia’s leading role in harnessing AI to build a future-ready society.
He highlighted national initiatives such as the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute, the Digital ID program, and the “5 Million Coders” campaign as clear examples of how Ethiopia is turning strategic vision into measurable progress.
Looking ahead to 2030, Prime Minister Abiy emphasized the need for Africa to shape the development and deployment of AI on its own terms—anchored in ethics, inclusivity, and sustainability—to ensure that no one is left behind in the continent’s digital transformation.
The session took place as part of ETEX 2025, which officially opened on May 16 at the Addis International Convention Center.
Jointly organized by the Information Network Security Administration (INSA) and the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute, the three-day expo brings together over 10,000 participants and focuses on five priority areas: cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, fintech, smart cities, and technology education.
The opening of ETEX 2025 was marked by a record-breaking drone show featuring 1,500 drones—described as the largest in Africa—visually narrating Ethiopia’s digital transformation and symbolizing its aspiration to serve as a continental tech hub.