Nigerian edtech startup AltSchool Africa has introduced an ambitious initiative to expand access to artificial intelligence (AI) education across Africa. Titled "AI for 10M Africans," the program aims to equip 10 million learners with AI skills, catering to a broad spectrum of educational backgrounds and expertise levels.
Speaking at a media briefing, AltSchool Africa’s CEO, Adewale Yusuf, emphasized that the initiative is more than just an educational program—it’s a movement designed to bridge the AI knowledge gap and create new opportunities for Africans in the digital economy. “Africans should not be left behind,” Yusuf stated, stressing the urgency of preparing individuals for a technology-driven future.
The initiative will launch with free foundational AI courses to simplify complex AI concepts and dispel common misconceptions about the technology. These introductory lessons will serve as a stepping stone to more advanced, paid courses covering specialized topics such as machine learning, data science, and AI engineering.
Collaboration is key to the program’s success, Yusuf noted, highlighting the importance of partnerships with governments, organizations, and industry leaders. He also advocated for the integration of AI education into school curricula to keep up with rapid technological advancements and shifting job market demands.
AltSchool Africa has already begun working with countries like Nigeria, Rwanda, and Cape Verde, but Yusuf emphasized the need for broader collaboration to ensure wider accessibility to AI education across the continent. Foluso Folorunso, a Senior Product Designer at AltSchool, reinforced this vision, stating that the initiative is designed to shift Africa from being a passive consumer of AI to an active innovator in the space.
“Africa is currently missing from global AI development,” Folorunso remarked, underscoring the program’s potential to drive transformation. To enhance accessibility, AltSchool plans to offer courses in multiple African languages, including Swahili, French, Portuguese, Arabic, and Hausa, eliminating language barriers for learners.
Beyond the AI initiative, AltSchool is set to launch Campus by AltSchool, a hybrid learning platform blending online and in-person instruction. The initiative aims to improve completion rates and enrich the learning experience. The first physical classes will begin in Lagos, with Kigali being considered as a future expansion site. Scheduled for rollout in the second quarter of 2025, this hybrid model represents another step in AltSchool’s mission to revolutionize education in Africa.
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