To ensure the continent’s priorities are firmly embedded in this framework, Lawyers Hub recently convened a critical working session, hosted and moderated by our CEO, Linda Bonyo.

Understanding the UN’s AI Architecture: During the dialogue, we unpacked the UN's emerging AI governance scaffolding, which has evolved from the High-level Panel in 2018 to the Global Digital Compact adopted in 2024. The architecture relies on core pillars such as the Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET) and the Independent Scientific Panel, which comprises 40 experts who will provide annual evidence-based assessments on AI risks and opportunities.

Moving from Consumers to Producers: Our expert panelists stressed that Africa must not merely absorb frameworks built for other regions. Dr. Mactar Seck of the UN Economic Commission for Africa and Professor Vukosi Marivate urged a shift from being consumers to active producers of AI. Africa requires its own standards, localized data centers, and culturally nuanced AI that understands African languages. Dr. Mehdi Snene from ODET outlined the timeline for action, noting that the inaugural Global Dialogue session will take place in Geneva in July 2026.

The Window for Action is Closing: Success in Geneva will be structural, not performative. With the UN submission deadline extended to May 7th, 2026, the time to shape the agenda is now. We cannot afford to leave the continent's digital future to chance.

Download the Official Ghana National AI Strategy Document

Africa is rapidly becoming a focal point in the global artificial intelligence revolution. As nations race to establish governance frameworks, Zimbabwe has stepped forward with an ambitious, UNESCO-supported National AI Strategy.

This past Monday—as part of Lawyers Hub’s weekly series diving into tech policy across the continent—we partnered with the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation to unpack this roadmap. Moderated by our Founder and CEO, Linda Bonyo, the session brought together leading experts to explore what this strategy actually means for Zimbabweans.

The Foundation of Ubuntu vs. Infrastructural Realities: Law Tech Strategist Hanani Hlomani, commended the strategy for its agility, noting that it is beautifully grounded in the African philosophy of Ubuntu—the concept of "I am because you are". However, he pointed out a glaring tension: while the policy is progressive on paper, the practical reality is that much of Zimbabwe's data remains trapped in analog formats. Hlomani highlighted that before deploying advanced AI, there must be a massive drive toward digitization. Furthermore, he critiqued the strategy for not adequately addressing the exorbitant cost of internet access, noting that an uncapped connection costs around $120, effectively pricing out the average citizen and hindering true AI inclusivity.

Institutional Capacity and the Liability Gap: Digital Policy Expert Hlengiwe Dube, shifted the focus to the strategy's institutional framework. She praised the approach of not building completely new institutions, but rather upskilling existing government bodies to handle AI regulation. However, she raised critical concerns regarding the protection of citizens. Dube pointed out that the current strategy lacks clear mechanisms for liability, redress, and human override, which are essential for protecting individuals from AI-driven harms like deepfakes.

AI as a Pyramid Scheme and Digital Colonialism: The most provocative perspective came from Adio-Adet Dinika, an AI Researcher at DAIR. He challenged the fundamental narrative of the technology, stating: "AI is neither artificial nor intelligent; it is a pyramid scheme of resources and exploited people". Dinika emphasized that a nation of 16 million people must seriously consider whether it has the resources to build foundational models alone, or if regional cooperation with neighboring countries is necessary to compete against tech monopolies. He also warned against the erasure of local nuances, citing an example of an AI newsreader deployed in Zimbabwe that was unable to correctly pronounce basic Ndebele words.

The Path Forward: Zimbabwe’s strategy is a vital first step, but the consensus from our panel is clear: policy must be matched by infrastructural investment, regional collaboration, and robust protections for digital rights.

Lawyers Hub hosts these vital tech policy discussions focusing on different African nations every Monday. Do not miss out on the conversation.

Watch the full recording of the Zimbabwe AI Strategy dialogue below.

The Lawyers Hub, in collaboration with the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and the Uganda Law Society, recently hosted a webinar titled "Examining the Kenya & Uganda Copyright Bills". The session provided a critical analysis of how East Africa is navigating the complex intersection of artificial intelligence and intellectual property. Moderated by Linda Bonyo, Founder and CEO of Lawyers Hub, the panel featured insights from policymakers, researchers, and creators.

Sseruwagi Martin George, a Regulation Officer at the Uganda Registration Services Bureau, discussed the recently enacted Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which officially passed on March 17, 2026. He pointed out that the new legislation intentionally lacks specific provisions for artificial intelligence. The Ugandan government chose to defer integrating AI into its copyright law until the National AI Taskforce, which was formed around 2023, completes a comprehensive National AI Policy.

While Uganda waits for a broader policy, Intellectual Property Law Researcher Chebet Koros highlighted the immediate friction between current copyright laws and AI innovation in Africa. She illustrated this by citing the Masakhane group's effort to create African language datasets. The group attempted to use data from the Jehovah's Witnesses website, but restrictive copyright notices prohibiting text and data mining ultimately prevented them from utilizing the information, demonstrating how existing IP frameworks can stall regional AI development.

Conversely, Dan Aceda, a Musician and Board Member at the Kenya Copyright Board, emphasized the existential threat AI poses to artists and their livelihoods. He noted that AI platforms currently ingest millions of copyrighted songs to train their models without compensating the original creators, a trend he warned is gradually erasing the concept of IP ownership. To better protect creators, Aceda strongly advocated for the specialized copyright tribunals proposed in Kenya's 2026 Bill. He explained that while current IP cases in the High Court can take five to six years to resolve, these new tribunals could cut that timeline down to just a few months.

You can watch the full recording of the webinar and hear all the insights from the session below.