• Rwanda launched Innovate Rwanda, a national digital platform designed to centralize the country’s innovation ecosystem.

• The platform connects startups, investors, incubators and institutionsto improve access to funding and partnerships.

Rwanda is centralizing its technology ecosystem as the government seeks to streamline fragmented support initiatives for startups.

The government officially launched Innovate Rwanda on March 12. Authorities designed the national digital platform to centralize the country’s innovation ecosystem and connect startups, investors, incubators and public institutions.

The initiative aims to strengthen coordination in a technology sector that has become a pillar of Rwanda’s growth strategy in East Africa. The Ministry of ICT and Innovation Rwandadeveloped the platform as a single digital gateway to funding programs and support mechanisms.

Paula Ingabire, Rwanda’s minister of ICT and Innovation, outlined the government’s objective during the launch.

“We want to create an environment where innovators can easily access the resources, funding and partners needed to transform their ideas into concrete solutions,” she said.

A growing startup ecosystem

The launch of Innovate Rwanda comes as the country’s technology ecosystem continues to expand. Rwanda now hosts more than 76 active startups, according to estimates from ecosystem stakeholders and innovation tracking platforms in East Africa. The country also hosts several incubators and technology hubs supported through public and private partnerships.

According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2025published by StartupBlink, Rwanda ranks 96th globally, gaining two places compared with the previous year.

Within East Africa, Rwanda holds third place, positioning itself as a strategic innovation hub behind Uganda and ahead of Somalia.

Innovate Rwanda provides investors with greater visibility into local startups by offering verified company profiles and performance indicators.

The platform centralizes data that was previously scattered across different institutions and programs. As a result, it aims to streamline due diligence processes and strengthen investor confidence in Rwanda’s startup pipeline.

Addressing coordination challenges

Beyond improving visibility, the platform addresses a structural challenge within the ecosystem: limited coordination among innovation support programs.

Officials at the ministry said that the centralized system should reduce duplication among incubators, identify gaps in the market and direct funding more efficiently toward high-potential projects.

By improving coordination and transparency, the government expects the platform to accelerate innovation development and strengthen Rwanda’s position as a regional technology hub.

Samira Njoya

• Zimbabwe launched a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for 2026–2030to support socio-economic development.

• The strategy focuses on talent development, infrastructure sovereignty, AI adoption and ethical governance.

• Zimbabwe ranks 149th out of 193 countries in the UN 2024 E-Government Development Index, highlighting major digital gaps.

The Zimbabwean government launched its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for 2026–2030on Friday, March 13. The roadmap outlines how Zimbabwe intends to deploy AI to support socio-economic development over the next five years.

President Emmerson Mnangagwaemphasized the government’s commitment to responsible technology use.

“We commit to ensuring that the use of artificial intelligence remains human-centred, transparent and free from bias. The protection of our national interests as well as the dignity of all Zimbabweans remain at the heart of the legal frameworks we are putting in place,” Mnangagwa said in his speech.

The strategy rests on four pillars: talent and capacity development, infrastructure sovereignty, AI adoption and ethical governance.

Authorities plan to integrate AI into strategic sectors such as agriculture, mining, healthcare and education. The government expects these applications to improve productivity, efficiency and service quality.

In addition, the roadmap introduces incentives for companies and innovators that adopt AI technologies. Policymakers aim to stimulate a dynamic digital economy and encourage local technological development.

The strategy also emphasizes the design of ethical and human-centred AI systems that respect fundamental rights while supporting inclusive growth.

The AI roadmap forms part of Zimbabwe’s broader digital transformation ambitions.

Through the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan, the government plans to integrate information and communication technologies across society and throughout the economy in order to accelerate sustainable socio-economic development.

The plan cites a study by the International Telecommunication Unionshowing that a 10% increase in a country’s digitalization score raises GDP per capita by about 0.75%.

However, Zimbabwe still faces significant digital development challenges. The country ranked 149th out of 193 countriesin the 2024 E-Government Development Indexpublished by the United Nations, with a score of 0.4481 out of 1, below the global average of 0.6382.

Challenges to address

Like any emerging technology, artificial intelligence carries risks.

President Mnangagwa urged policymakers to strengthen legislation and regulatory frameworks to protect children and citizens in digital spaces as AI technologies expand.

The UNESCO, which helped design the strategy, also assessed Zimbabwe’s readiness for artificial intelligence. In a report published in July 2025, the organization said the strategy should include measures to address the main risks associated with AI.

These risks include foreign technological dominance, loss of human autonomy, and constraints related to financing, technical infrastructure and research capacity. The report noted that the emigration of highly qualified professionals further compounds these challenges.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairsalso highlighted AI’s potential to support socio-economic development in its E-Government Survey 2024report. However, the department warned about risks such as biased datasets that may misrepresent certain groups, along with broader ethical, security and social concerns.

The agency also identified the persistent digital divide as a major obstacle to AI deployment in the public sector, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

In Zimbabwe, 58.4% of the population did not use the Internet in 2024, according to data from the International Telecommunication Union. Limited telecom network coverage, the high cost or scarcity of compatible devices such as computers and smartphones, and low levels of digital skills help explain the gap.

This article was initially published in French by Isaac K. Kassouwi

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Université de la Formation Continue (UFC) in Algeria created a commission to steer its transition toward the “University 4.0” digital education model.
• The institution has already trained more than 800 teachers in digital technologiesand developed 683 online courses.
• Algeria counted 1.53 million students in the 2024–2025 academic year, highlighting the need to modernize higher education.

Public distance-learning institution Université de la Formation Continue (UFC)has established a commission tasked with guiding its transition toward the so-called fourth-generation university model, or “University 4.0.”

According to Algérie Presse Service, which reported the development on March 12, the initiative reflects the Algerian higher-education sector’s effort to adapt to global technological changes and strengthen the university’s role in innovation.

The institution said the move represents “a step toward building a smart and innovative university capable of addressing future challenges and contributing effectively to national development and the knowledge economy.”

The new commission builds on a digital foundation that the university has already developed. During the National Digital Education Week in September 2025, UFC Rector Yahia Djaafri said the institution had trained more than 800 teachers in information and communication technologies. He added that the university had completed 683 online courses, including 120 in English, and had deployed 68 digital platforms dedicated to students.

The creation of the commission now provides an institutional framework to expand these initiatives. The initiative also forms part of a wider effort to modernize Algeria’s higher education system.

The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research reported 1,530,230 students enrolled during the 2024–2025 academic year, including 938,673 women, representing 63% of the total. These figures illustrate both the expansion of the system and the urgency of updating academic content and training methods.

Meanwhile, Algeria has improved its visibility in international university rankings. The QS Arab Region University Rankingslisted 46 Algerian institutions in its 2026 edition, compared with 17 in 2025 and 14 in 2024.

This growth places Algeria first in the Maghreb and the Arab worldby number of ranked universities. However, policymakers still face a central challenge: translating this academic momentum into stronger graduate employability, a key objective of the University 4.0 model.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum