HARNESSING AI FOR AFRICA'S FINANCIAL FORTIFICATION: A REVIEW

Abstract

Africa’s financial landscape presents a complex tapestry characterized by adversity and opportunity. It is home to a significant portion of the world’s unbanked and underbanked population, with millions still lacking access to fundamental financial services. However, amid these challenges, Africa also boasts a burgeoning tech-savvy population, a growing number of innovative fintech startups, and governments increasingly recognizing the pivotal role of financial inclusion in sustainable development. This dynamic interplay between adversity and opportunity defines Africa’s financial sector, shaping its trajectory during this economic and technological transformation era. This paper explores the challenges and opportunities of adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the African financial sector. The study researches the current landscape, underlining key statistics such as the substantial percentage of African unbanked individuals. It also identifies significant barriers to AI adoption, such as infrastructure limitations, data quality issues, and regulatory ambiguities. To address these challenges effectively, the paper proposes actionable recommendations targeted at policymakers, financial institutions, and stakeholders. To maximize AI’s potential for transforming the African financial sector, strategies for infrastructure development, data quality enhancement, regulatory clarity, skills development, and the ethical deployment of AI are discussed. This paper highlights the challenges and underscores AI’s immense potential for financial inclusion and economic growth in Africa.