FATE Foundation has entered a multi-country partnership with the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences, with support from Google.org through a $4 million grant, to advance artificial intelligence education across Africa and strengthen the continent’s future technology workforce.
The funding, which aligns with Google.org’s focus on knowledge, skills and learning, will support the rollout of the Advanced Artificial Intelligence Upskilling Programme across higher educational institutions in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. The initiative is designed to create a sustainable and scalable ecosystem for advanced AI education, with a strong emphasis on building long-term institutional capacity rather than one-off training.
Head of Google.org EMEA, Liza Ateh, said the initiative reflects Google’s commitment to building a safe and inclusive digital future by investing in Africa’s next generation of leaders. She noted that the funding would enable local non-profit organisations and academic partners to deliver critical skills programmes while making advanced AI knowledge accessible at the university level to help develop future innovators across the continent.
Executive Director of FATE Foundation, Adenike Adeyemi, described the partnership as a timely response to the growing demand for deep AI competencies in Africa. She said the project would empower tertiary institutions, lecturers and students across the four countries, while supporting FATE Foundation’s broader mission of fostering innovation and sustainable economic growth. According to her, equipping African institutions with advanced AI capacity is essential for the continent to compete and lead in the global technology space.
Director of AIMS South Africa, Ulrich Paquet, said the collaboration would strengthen both teaching and research in artificial intelligence across Africa. He explained that the Google DeepMind AI Research Foundations curriculum was developed to broaden participation in AI research and expand access to quality education, adding that the partnership is expected to generate creative, locally driven innovations from across the continent.
Over the next three years, the Advanced AI Upskilling Programme aims to equip more than 30,900 students with advanced AI skills, positioning them to drive technological innovation and economic transformation. The programme will work directly with at least 30 higher educational institutions across the four countries, using a Train-the-Trainer model supported by sub-grants to participating institutions.
As part of the approach, 292 lecturers and teaching assistants, referred to as AI Champions, will be trained and equipped to deliver advanced AI education to penultimate and final-year students in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics disciplines. The curriculum is built on the Google DeepMind AI Research Foundations framework and will be adapted to reflect local contexts, ensuring that students receive rigorous training supported by local mentorship.
The partnership highlights a growing push to embed advanced digital skills within Africa’s higher education system, as stakeholders increasingly recognise that building strong AI talent pipelines is critical for innovation, entrepreneurship and long-term economic growth across the continent.
