• Benin held its first National Artificial Intelligence Olympiad, bringing together 150 students to select the country's team for the 2026 International AI Olympiad in Kazakhstan.
• The competition forms part of Benin's National Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Strategy (2023-2027), which aims to establish the country as a regional AI hub.
• Authorities will select 16 finalists for advanced training before naming an eight-member national team to compete internationally.

Benin has launched its first National Artificial Intelligence Olympiad (NOAI) as the government seeks to strengthen AI education among secondary school students and position the country as a regional hub for artificial intelligence.

The government organized the national qualifying competition in Cotonou on Saturday, June 27. The event brought together 150 students to compete for places on Benin's team for the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI), which will take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, from Aug. 2 to Aug. 8, 2026.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation and Innovation, which oversees Benin's national AI strategy, organized the initiative alongside the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Ministry of Secondary, Technical and Vocational Education, and the Sèmè City Development Agency (ADSC). The competition forms part of the National Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Strategy (SNIAM 2023-2027).

"You represent the Benin of today and tomorrow. What we are doing here today is giving you the light that you will carry to make Benin competitive in tomorrow's digital economy and artificial intelligence," said Sèdami Médégan Fagla, Benin's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

"We have a duty to prepare you for that Benin so that you can build the Benin of your dreams, the Benin that belongs to all of us. Everything we can do today is support you and provide you with the means to succeed," she added.

After the first selection round, authorities will choose 16 candidates for a second training phase that will include educational kits, a preparation program, a technical bootcamp and mentoring.

The government will ultimately select eight students to represent Benin at the international competition in Kazakhstan.

The national competition follows Benin's first participation in the IOAI in Beijing, China, in August 2025. According to the ADSC, Benin ranked 30th out of 78 teams representing 62 countries, while Merveille Agbossaga received an individual distinction. The agency said only two African countries earned individual distinctions during that edition.

"Our ambition is clear: to make Benin a leading African reference for artificial intelligence education," said Mahuna Akplogan, Minister of Digital Transformation and Innovation and head of the country's national AI strategy, in a statement issued to mark the launch of the competition.

However, the government has not disclosed how it will finance or sustain the program beyond its inaugural edition.

Macroeconomic projections require cautious interpretation

The initiative comes as policymakers across Africa increasingly view artificial intelligence as a driver of long-term economic growth. However, estimates of AI's economic impact vary depending on the underlying assumptions.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), citing an analysis by audit and consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), estimates that artificial intelligence could contribute approximately $1.2 trillion to Africa's gross domestic product if the continent captures 2.5% of the global AI market, equivalent to its current share of global GDP.

Separately, Olumide Balogun, Google's Director for West Africa, estimated during the Nigerian Economic Summit that artificial intelligence could generate $1.5 trillion for Africa by 2030.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J. A  de Berry Quenum