McKinsey estimates that artificial intelligence (AI) could contribute as much as $1.2 trillion to Africa's economy by 2030. Unlocking this potential will largely depend on strategic talent development, a path Cameroon is now strongly pursuing.

Cameroon aims to train 60,000 artificial intelligence (AI) specialists by 2040, including 40% women, as part of its National AI Strategy (SNIA). Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Minette Libom Li Likeng recently unveiled this initiative, which is part of a broader vision to position the country as an African hub for artificial intelligence.

The strategy's key objectives include creating 12,000 direct jobs, developing 12 sovereign solutions with significant socioeconomic impact, and anticipating an AI contribution to national GDP of between 0.8% and 1.2%. Special attention is being given to linguistic diversity, with efforts to develop AI models that incorporate national languages. This is seen as a crucial way to boost digital inclusion and promote local cultural heritage.

To achieve these ambitions, however, Cameroon must address several critical gaps. The country still lags significantly in digital infrastructure, particularly in deploying modern data centers, developing secure cloud platforms, and ensuring consistent broadband connectivity, especially in rural areas.

This reality is reflected at the continental level in the latest ranking by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Cameroon scored 46.3 out of 100, placing 30th out of 42 African countries. This result falls below the continental average of 56, underscoring the need for the country to accelerate its efforts.

Addressing Talent Shortages and Promoting Inclusion

Training qualified talent remains one of the main challenges. A shortage of engineers, researchers, and AI specialists is holding back sectoral growth. To address this, Cameroon will need to invest heavily in creating centers of excellence, establish schools and institutes focused on advanced technologies, and integrate AI training programs into secondary and university curricula. Structuring partnerships between universities, tech companies, and public institutions will be essential to align educational content with market needs.

In addition, it will be crucial to implement continuing education and professional retraining programs to equip a broad segment of the population with the digital skills needed for tomorrow’s economy. Expanding access to high-speed internet, especially in remote areas, must accompany this momentum, as should the stimulation of an innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem capable of attracting investors and fostering the emergence of local solutions.

The goal of training 40% women is ambitious and commendable. Achieving it calls for proactive measures such as awareness campaigns, mentoring, support for women’s careers in tech, and efforts to combat gender stereotypes in science-related fields.

Despite these challenges, encouraging signs are emerging. The recent adoption of a data protection law and the first national consultations on AI reflect a clear political will to establish a robust regulatory framework. This is an essential condition for structuring the sector and building trust among stakeholders.

Samira Njoya

The rapid rise of remote work has fueled the phenomenon of digital nomads, creating new opportunities for African countries. With growing appeal, developing infrastructure, and policies still taking shape, the continent could very well become a major player in this new global work landscape.

Since 2020, the way people work has been changing in deep but often unnoticed ways. In only a few years, digital nomadism has evolved from a niche concept into a global trend. This rise has been fueled by the digital shift in many jobs, the growth of remote work, and a growing demand for more flexible living. While it first took hold in large Western cities, the movement is now spreading across Africa, a region with the potential to unlock billions of dollars in economic value if it takes the right steps.

A Global Movement with Local Impact

Digital nomads are workers who use a laptop and an internet connection to work from anywhere in the world. It could be a freelance marketer living in Nairobi for six months, a Senegalese developer dividing her time between Dakar and Bali, or an American designer spending the summer in Zanzibar.

According to 2025 data from Nomads.com, a global digital nomad community platform, there are now more than 80 million digital nomads worldwide—and the number keeps rising. Their financial footprint is significant. On average, a digital nomad earns $124,000 annually and spends between $1,000 and $3,000 per month in their host country on housing, food, entertainment, coworking spaces, and transport. This provides a steady stream of income for local economies, without the strain of mass tourism. Americans make up the largest share, with 46 million nomads. About 88% of global digital nomads come from countries outside Africa.

Africa Steps Into the Spotlight

Africa is starting to gain recognition as an appealing destination for remote workers. Cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg, Marrakech, Accra, Dakar, Abuja, Luanda, Libreville, and Cotonou are seeing growing interest. These places attract a new wave of remote workers seeking authentic experiences, lower living costs, and meaningful social connections. Many of these cities offer reliable high-speed internet, electricity, modern accommodation and workspaces, and access to food, transport, and healthcare—making it possible to balance productive workdays with tourist exploration.

This trend is not limited to foreign visitors. A growing number of young Africans in digital fields—web development, design, content creation, community management—are also embracing a mobile lifestyle, often within the continent. This intra-African nomadism is supported by countries offering full or partial visa exemptions, such as Senegal, Benin, Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda. These policies are reshaping how professionals move and work in Africa’s digital age.

Billions in Economic Opportunity

According to global immigration firm Newland Chase, the 35 million digital nomads counted in 2021 contributed $787 billion to the global economy. Although detailed data for Africa is lacking, a modest projection suggests the continent could earn $6 billion per year if it hosted 500,000 foreign digital nomads spending $1,000 monthly. If Africa attracted just 2% of the world’s estimated 80 million nomads in 2025—that is 1.6 million individuals—the continent could bring in close to $20 billion annually through direct local spending.

Beyond daily spending, digital nomadism can fuel growth in sectors such as short-term housing, food and hospitality, internet services, local transport, and leisure activities like hiking and tourism. Thousands of small businesses—especially in urban areas—stand to benefit from this expanding market.

Early but Promising Initiatives

Some African countries have already started tailoring offers to digital nomads. In 2020, Mauritius introduced its Premium Visa. It is free, valid for one year (renewable), and available to citizens of 114 countries. Applicants must prove that their main income is earned outside Mauritius and show a minimum monthly income of $1,500.

Cape Verde launched a similar visa in 2020, targeting both tech and tourism. The visa lasts six months (renewable) and requires payment. Digital nomads in Cape Verde are exempt from income tax and local taxes. While there is no official income threshold, applicants must show an average bank balance of at least €1,500 over the previous six months.

In 2024, South Africa joined in with its digital nomad visa, allowing stays from three months to three years. Applicants must provide three months of bank statements showing a gross annual salary of at least 650,796 rand (about $36,782).

Other countries like Namibia and Kenya also launched digital nomad visas in 2024 to attract skilled professionals and boost their economies. However, Africa still lags behind Latin America and Southeast Asia, which already offer nomad visas, tech hubs, tax incentives, and tailored services.

Challenges That Remain

Africa has clear potential to benefit from digital nomadism. Internet coverage is improving across the continent. According to the International Telecommunication Union, 4G now covers 71% of the population, while 3G covers 86%. However, 5G still only reaches 11%. In urban areas, 4G covers 73% and 5G reaches 25%. Countries like South Africa, Senegal, Mauritius, Nigeria, Botswana, Ethiopia, Seychelles, Tunisia, and Lesotho already offer 5G access in their capitals. In rural areas, coverage is lower—49% for 4G, 26% for 3G, and 14% for 2G. While major cities usually offer stable internet, many secondary regions do not.

Another barrier is cost. The cheapest mobile data plan (2GB) costs 3.9% of the average monthly gross national income (GNI) per person, while fixed internet (5GB) costs 13.4% of GNI. These rates are considered high, exceeding the United Nations target of 2% of GNI for affordable access. Globally, the average cost is closer to 1% of GNI for mobile and 2.3% for fixed internet.

Other obstacles include political and security concerns, especially in areas affected by instability—although these are a minority. The lack of a clear legal status for digital nomads also makes many destinations less appealing. Tourist visas are not designed for extended stays and lack tailored benefits. To change this, digital nomadism needs to be integrated into national policies on tourism, entrepreneurship, and youth employment.

Digital nomadism is not just a trend or a lifestyle for Western elites. It reflects a deep shift in how the world works. Africa has a real chance to play a leading role—if it invests, plans, and innovates wisely.

• Cameroon launched its AI strategy to become Africa’s leading hub by 2040, with goals for jobs, training, and GDP growth.
• It focuses on governance, infrastructure, local language models, edge computing, talent, and regional cooperation.
• The IMF ranks Cameroon low in AI readiness (0.34/1), citing gaps the strategy aims to close.

On Monday, July 7, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Minette Libom Li Likeng unveiled Cameroon’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (SNIA) during the second edition of the National Consultations on AI. This strategy, anchored in a vision for 2040, aims to position the country as a continental AI hub by focusing on sovereign, inclusive, and sustainable solutions rooted in African cultural realities.

The SNIA seeks to make Cameroon "the leading AI hub in Africa" by promoting solutions based on African values. Its key targets include training 60,000 individuals, with 40 percent being women. The strategy also aims to create 12,000 direct jobs, generate a GDP contribution from AI of between 0.8 percent and 1.2 percent, and develop 12 sovereign, high-impact AI solutions. Special attention is given to linguistic diversity through the development of multilingual models that incorporate national languages.

Seven Structural Pillars to Deliver the Strategy

The strategic document is built around seven interdependent pillars. The first pillar focuses on governance and digital sovereignty. This includes establishing a Cameroonian AI Authority, a Presidential Council on AI, and drafting a framework law that addresses ethical considerations and inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms. The second pillar addresses data and digital infrastructure, calling for the creation of a government Data Lake, mass digitization of public services, interoperability standards, and a targeted Open Data policy.

The third pillar promotes multilingual and inclusive AI through the development of a local language model, referred to as "GPT Cameroon." It also emphasizes enhancing national languages via linguistic research and voice data collection. The fourth pillar targets sovereign technological infrastructure, including the deployment of 15 regional Edge Computing nodes powered by solar microgrids to strengthen energy resilience.

The fifth pillar is dedicated to training, research, and human capital. Plans include establishing five AI centers of excellence, training 4,000 people annually, implementing a diaspora talent return program, and providing greater support for local research. The sixth pillar centers on innovation and sector-specific use cases. This aims to support startups through accelerators and encourage AI adoption in key areas such as health, agriculture, justice, and education.

Lastly, the seventh pillar emphasizes cooperation and regional outreach. This involves creating an AI network for Central Africa, strengthening international partnerships, and exporting "Made in Cameroon" digital solutions.

According to the 2024 AI Preparedness Index published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Cameroon scores 0.34 out of 1. This places it in the lower half of the global ranking. The country lags in digital infrastructure and innovation but shows promising potential in human capital. The national strategy specifically aims to address these gaps by accelerating regulatory alignment and encouraging AI adoption across public services.

With this roadmap, Cameroon aims to align with the continent’s broader digital transformation momentum and fully harness emerging technologies to support its socio-economic development.

Samira Njoya