It sets out a long-term vision for AI integration in governance, infrastructure, education and economic development supported by principles of sovereignty, inclusivity and sustainability.
The Cameroonian government officially launched its first National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (SNIA) and outlines a comprehensive framework for positioning the country as a regional leader in AI innovation by 2040.
Announced by the Post and the Minister of Telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng, the strategy was announced in the second edition of the National Consultation on AI (Conia). It sets out a long-term vision for AI integration in governance, infrastructure, education and economic development supported by principles of sovereignty, inclusivity and sustainability.
The strategy is centered around seven strategic pillars.
-
Governance and digital rights: The government will establish a dedicated AI authority and presidential council on AI. A national AI legal framework will be developed to coordinate ethics, regulations and mineral-to-mineral implementation.
-
Data and Infrastructure: The plan includes the creation of government data lakes, mass digitization of public services, national interoperability standards, and open data policies that support large-scale AI deployments.
-
Multilingual and comprehensive AI: The large-scale language model “GPT Cameroon” is developed to support local and Japanese languages. The initiative also includes speech data collection and language research to increase the linguistic representation of digital technologies.
-
Sovereign Technology Infrastructure: This strategy involves the deployment of 15 edge computing nodes with solar microgrids to ensure energy-relentic AI processing in all areas.
-
Human capital and research: Cameroon aims to train 4,000 people each year, establish excellence in five national AI centres and implement programs that attract diaspora talent. Support will also be directed to strengthen the national research capabilities.
-
Innovation and sector use cases: This plan will promote the adoption of AI in health, agriculture, education and justice. Startup support and sector-specific innovation programs will be deployed to accelerate AI-driven development.
-
Regional and International Cooperation: A regional AI network in Central Africa will be created to expand cooperation and create a mechanism to export locally developed AI tools under the “Made in Cameroon” label.
Government estimates that the implementation of the strategy could generate 12,000 direct jobs by 2040, increasing AI's contribution to GDP by up to 1.2%.
Officials say the strategy reflects Cameroon's ambition to integrate AI as a driver of public service delivery, industrial growth and digital sovereignty, while ensuring its ethical use and cultural relevance in its development.
The SNIA serves as the policy foundation for cross-sector investment, institutional reform and international partnerships to help countries build a long-term, inclusive digital economy.
