AI in Africa Isn't the "Future." It's the Single Biggest Growth Driver, Right Now
Let's be very clear: AI is no longer a "future trend" in the African tech ecosystem. It is the present.
When I talk to founders from Lagos to Nairobi, the conversation has fundamentally changed. It's no longer if they should use AI, but how fast they can deploy it.
The data from our 2025 research is stunning: More than 20% of new companies in Africa are already using AI.
But how they are using it is the critical part.
This isn't about vanity projects. African founders are laser-focused, applying Generative AI to the two most important functions of any startup:
46% are using GenAI in Sales.
43% are using GenAI in Customer Service.
This is an incredibly smart, "guerilla warfare" approach to scaling.
Instead of hiring massive, expensive teams, founders are using AI as a force multiplier. They are deploying AI-powered chatbots to provide 24/7 world-class support. They are using GenAI to write personalized sales emails and automate follow-ups, allowing a 3-person team in Lagos to compete with a 30-person team in San Francisco.
When I talk to founders from Lagos to Nairobi, the conversation has fundamentally changed. It's no longer if they should use AI, but how fast they can deploy it.
The data from our 2025 research is stunning: More than 20% of new companies in Africa are already using AI.
But how they are using it is the critical part.
This isn't about vanity projects. African founders are laser-focused, applying Generative AI to the two most important functions of any startup:
46% are using GenAI in Sales.
43% are using GenAI in Customer Service.
This is an incredibly smart, "guerilla warfare" approach to scaling.
Instead of hiring massive, expensive teams, founders are using AI as a force multiplier. They are deploying AI-powered chatbots to provide 24/7 world-class support. They are using GenAI to write personalized sales emails and automate follow-ups, allowing a 3-person team in Lagos to compete with a 30-person team in San Francisco.
The New Standard for US Investors
Here is the warning I give to all founders in my ecosystem: The game has changed.
When you pitch a US investor, "We are a FinTech for Africa" is no longer enough.
The new standard is: "We are an AI-first FinTech for Africa."
Investors now expect you to be using AI to lower your Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), improve your LTV, and scale your operations efficiently. If you're not, you already look 5 years behind your local competitors.
This isn't just about efficiency; it's about a $136 BILLION opportunity. That's the estimated economic benefit AI could bring to African countries by 2030.
This is why "AI Strategy" isn't just one lesson in our Mebert Global Launchpad—it's woven into the entire fabric of our modules on GTM, operations, and pitching.
You are no longer just competing with your neighbors. You are competing on a global stage, and AI is your most powerful weapon.
Here is the warning I give to all founders in my ecosystem: The game has changed.
When you pitch a US investor, "We are a FinTech for Africa" is no longer enough.
The new standard is: "We are an AI-first FinTech for Africa."
Investors now expect you to be using AI to lower your Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), improve your LTV, and scale your operations efficiently. If you're not, you already look 5 years behind your local competitors.
This isn't just about efficiency; it's about a $136 BILLION opportunity. That's the estimated economic benefit AI could bring to African countries by 2030.
This is why "AI Strategy" isn't just one lesson in our Mebert Global Launchpad—it's woven into the entire fabric of our modules on GTM, operations, and pitching.
You are no longer just competing with your neighbors. You are competing on a global stage, and AI is your most powerful weapon.