Rethinking <scp>AI</scp> Accessibility in African Higher Education Institutions Through Inclusive Participation and Policy Reform

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) adoption across the Global South, particularly in Africa, offers promising avenues for socioeconomic transformation. This chapter seeks to understand the scope of equitable access to AI education and fluency through systemic reform in African higher education institutions (HEIs). It employs a mixed methodology approach: a systematic review of scholarly records from Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Scopus databases, as well as policy documents from Africa. The chapter highlights spatial disparities in AI policy efforts, with limited attention to inclusive education, digital equity, and stakeholder engagement. Collaborative models that bring together HEIs, policymakers, and communities are essential to ensure that academic institutions help shape policies, develop meaningful curricula, and remain rooted in the needs of the people they serve. Countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Ghana have benefited from stronger infrastructure, active government involvement, and closer links to global AI projects, positioning East and West Africa as leaders in AI governance.