In recent years there has been an increased interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the risks and opportunities it presents for the labour market and societies as a whole. AI technologies are radically changing how people work and live, and producing a demand for new skills and jobs. It has been recognized that AI has enormous potential to aid the growth of African economies, alter their social and cultural fabric, spur innovation and contribute to solving the continent’s most challenging problems (CIPIT 2023). According to Lawyers Hub Kenya ([No date]) the AI market in Africa is poised for significant growth and it is projected that the volume of the AI market will be 33 billion by the year 2030. The UN Economic Commission for Africa also estimates that AI alone could inject USD 1.5 trillion into the African economy by 2030 (Oigara 2024). However, in spite of this AI’s benefits are not equally distributed and the significant gender gap and inequality in Africa may prevent all its citizens from fully benefitting from its potential. In this article we will examine the AI gender gap in Africa and propose some measures to increase the representation and inclusion of women in AI.
In 2021 the World Economic Forum stated that 97 million new jobs will emerge by 2025 and the majority of them will require skills in artificial intelligence, engineering, product development and emerging programming languages (Women in AI 2022). Although there is a high demand for AI specialists’ women only constitute 22% of AI professionals globally and as of 2023, in Sub-Saharan Africa women make-up 30% of the professionals in the tech industry (Lawyers Hub Kenya [No date]). A study done by CIPIT (2021) to investigate the AI labour gender gap in Africa showed that there is a significant disparity between men and women in the AI workforce in Africa. The study surveyed 160 companies across 21 countries and found that 71% of the AI workforce are male and 29% are women. The study also revealed that the highest disparity was in Central Africa, followed by Western Africa, then Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and (finally) Northern Africa. In management (or leadership) positions the study showed a gender gap of 90% (men) to 10% (women). At an academic level the uptake of STEM subjects and courses has been low in Africa, with less than 25% of tertiary level students pursuing STEM fields, and of those engaging in these areas less than 30% are women.
Whilst the current numbers speak of a wide gender gap, and are cause for concern, it does not mean that there are no opportunities for women to participate in the AI workforce and contribute to the ethical, fair and inclusive adoption, development and implementation of AI. The following recommendations highlight opportunities for women to participate in the field and elaborates on measures that can be taken to promote more female engagement and close the gender gap:
Closing the gender gap in the AI workforce is a key part of developing an AI workforce, and AI tools, that are more representative and inclusive. Interrogating the opportunities and challenges that AI presents women, as well as understanding the structural and systemic issues surrounding AI and women’s rights in Africa, is a key part of creating impactful interventions that will address the AI gender gap in Africa.
CIPIT. 2021. The Artificial Intelligence Labour Gender Gap in Africa [Online]. Available at: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://cipit.strathmore.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Artificial-Intelligence-Labour-Gender-Gap-copy-1-1.pdf [Accessed 18 July 2024].
CIPIT. 2023. The State of AI in Africa Report 2023. Nairobi: Strathmore University. Available at: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://cipit.strathmore.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/The-State-of-AI-in-Africa-Report-2023-min.pdf [Accessed 08 February 2024].
Lawyers Hub Kenya. No Date. Catalysing Artificial Intelligence for Women’s Empowerment in Africa [Online]. Available at: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.lawyershub.org/Digital%20Resources/Articles/Catalysing%20Artificial%20Intelligence%20for%20Women-s%20empowerment%20in%20Africa.pdf [Accessed 31 October 2024].
Oigara, J. 2024. Tapping into AI to Inspire Inclusion for Women [Online]. Available at: https://cioafrica.co/tapping-into-ai-to-inspire-inclusion-for-women/ [Accessed 18 July 2024].
Women in AI. 2022. Shaping the Future of Work for Women in AI. Available at: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.womeninai.co/_files/ugd/432b09_8138459191634b5a9d194fa289bf2f10.pdf?index=true [Accessed 18 July 2024].
Reflections on International Women’s Day 2025