The Pan African AI & Innovation Summit (PAAIS) will host 1,000 delegates from over 30 countries in Accra on September 22-23, 2026. All delegate seats for the summit are underwritten, meaning no one pays to attend, regardless of their economic status. This commitment aims to ensure broad and inclusive participation from across the African continent.
This unique funding model, relying on institutional support rather than delegate fees, is a deliberate choice to remove financial barriers. It enables participation from individuals like graduates in Tamale with working models but no funding, polytechnic lecturers in Takoradi, and young founders from Kigali. This approach transforms the conference into a truly continental gathering, fostering diverse perspectives and contributions.
The summit's structure aligns with Ghana's broader economic and technological aspirations, positioning the nation as a hub for innovation. Ghana has actively pursued digital transformation initiatives, recognizing the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to drive economic growth and solve local challenges. Events like PAAIS support this vision by bringing together key stakeholders and fostering collaboration on a continental scale.
Lacina Koné, Director General and Chief Executive of Smart Africa, will serve as Special Guest of Honour and a policy plenary speaker. Smart Africa, an African Union-endorsed alliance of 40 member states including Ghana, played a crucial role in establishing the Africa AI Council. This connection ensures that discussions and outcomes from the summit can directly influence continental policy decisions and frameworks.
The summit focuses on five key specifications, including ensuring broad access and fostering continental reach. It also emphasizes putting capital behind young innovators through initiatives like the Hack-AI-Thon and AI Dragon’s Den, underwritten by the Estonian Business Angel Network (EstBAN). This provides young African teams with opportunities to pitch to real investors, shortening the distance between ideas and funding.
Furthermore, PAAIS prioritizes putting Africans in the drafting seat for AI policy and sovereignty. Ministerial roundtables and regulatory framework sessions will involve Ghana’s Data Protection Commission and the Bank of Ghana’s fintech oversight leadership. This ensures that the continent helps write the rules governing the AI systems it will live under, maintaining sovereignty over emerging technologies.
The inaugural 2025 edition of PAAIS welcomed 1,000 delegates from more than 30 countries, alongside 43 speakers and 28 partners and investors. This demonstrated the viability of the underwritten attendance model. The upcoming 2026 summit will continue this tradition, with the doors of the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra opening to everyone.
The summit also addresses ethical AI applications in critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and finance. By focusing on problems relevant to Africa, such as crop yields, clinics, classrooms, and claims processing, PAAIS aims to shape the future of AI in a way that directly benefits the continent. This proactive approach allows Africa to influence the development of AI while it is still in its formative stages.