One of Africa’s leading technology strategists and entrepreneurs, John Kamara, will deliver the opening keynote address at ITWeb’s AI Summit 2026.
Kamara is the founder and chairman of the AI Centre of Excellence Africa (AICE Africa) and the founder of several tech companies, including Nairobi-based Adanian Labs — an AI, blockchain and smart technologies venture studio that helps scale tech start-ups across Africa.
Kamara is a thought leader on the role of AI in Africa for both social and commercial good, with emphasis on skills development, enterprise solutions, and the ethical value of the technology for positive development. He advises multinationals on navigating AI opportunities in emerging markets, particularly in healthcare, agriculture, climate change and SME development.
His keynote will set the scene for the discussion about the state of AI in Africa and the need for effective and meaningful policy and adoption strategies. The summit is scheduled for 22 April 2026 at the Forum in Bryanston.
Kamara said he expects the event to provide a critical reflection on AI’s progress and its socio-economic effects, with a focus on youth employment and building an autonomous continental knowledge economy.
A nascent ecosystem
In a recent interview for ITWeb TV with editor-in-chief Adrian Hinchcliffe, Kamara described Africa's AI landscape as nascent, with scattered efforts and significant opportunities despite challenges such as infrastructure, education and policy. He said much of the hype around AI has led African business leaders to adopt the technology out of fear of missing out, often lacking a clear strategic focus.
AI should be integrated into Africa's broader digital transformation rather than treated separately, he advised. "AI is not on its own by itself. It accelerates, it changes, it will destroy certain things, it will create new risks, but it is part of, the most significant part, of the transformation journey."
He also addressed the threat AI poses to youth employment if not addressed adequately. Part of the solution, he said, lies in leveraging AI to improve education and digital literacy and encouraging corporates to support the local AI ecosystem.
"Knowledge is the next commodity. Knowledge is the next frame of intelligence. So education is where I would love to see the biggest excellence happen […] . "How are we going to create jobs at every level? And how are we going to create a continental knowledge economy … that is autonomous, that can function in any way?"
He emphasises the importance of African enterprises and governments localising AI solutions and fostering innovation while addressing automation’s impact on jobs: "It’s not about the technology of AI. It’s the business of AI in my business. Enterprise Africa has a significant role to play — in adoption at scale, in creating opportunity and in helping us retain and create jobs."
ITWeb AI Summit 2026: Shaping the intelligent enterprise of tomorrow
Featuring locally relevant research, insights and case studies, ITWeb AI Summit will be held on 22 April 2026 at The Forum in Bryanston, Johannesburg. The event will bring together leading enterprises, innovators and policymakers, providing expert insights, case studies, and practical guidelines on building a sustainable AI ecosystem with South African social, economic and business realities in mind.
For more information and to register, visit ITWeb AI Summit 2026.
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