• Program targets 250 firms, focusing on SMEs and productivity gains
• Initiative aligns with national AI roadmap for 2026–2035

Confédération Générale des Entreprises de Guinée (CGE-GUI), the country’s main private sector body, launched the "AI Xcelerate" programme in Conakry on Wednesday, April 8. The initiative, developed in partnership with the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and Microsoft, aims to accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence into Guinea’s private sector.

The programme targets more than 250 Guinean companies, with the goal of facilitating the adoption of technologies that remain largely underused in the country. It aims to help businesses improve productivity, modernise management tools and adapt to shifts in the global economy, according to Mansah Sy Savané, vice president of CGE-GUI.

Beyond training, "AI Xcelerate" offers a structured support framework that allows companies to test and gradually integrate artificial intelligence into their operations. The programme seeks to move participants from awareness to practical adoption, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises, which account for most businesses in Guinea.

The initiative comes as artificial intelligence is emerging as a driver of growth worldwide. For Guinea, the challenge is to avoid falling behind technologically by equipping its companies with the tools needed to benefit from AI in a rapidly changing economic environment.

According to Rose Pola Pricemou, presidential adviser on technology and artificial intelligence, the country has adopted the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) AILA framework, which led to the development of a national artificial intelligence roadmap for 2026–2035. This momentum has been reinforced by the DounIA conferences, which focused on shaping a national data strategy.

Samira Njoya