DR Congo Launches First National AI Strategy Under $1B Digital Plan

The Democratic Republic of Congo's Minister of Digital Economy, Augustin Kibassa Maliba, launched the country's National Digital Plan 2026-2030 and its first National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in Kinshasa, with officials describing the goal as making the DRC a regional digital hub by 2030.

$1 billion commitment

The government will invest $1 billion over five years to implement the plan, with $500 million in external financing already secured from international partners. The initiative sits within a broader $8.7 billion digital transformation programme covering connectivity, data centres and public-service modernisation through 2030.

A national AI academy

As part of the AI strategy, the government will establish a Congolese Academy of Artificial Intelligence tasked with training young talent, supporting applied research and developing sector-specific AI solutions for mining, agriculture, healthcare and education — sectors central to the DRC's economy.

Skills at scale

The plan sets a target of training 250,000 young Congolese in AI, cybersecurity, programming and data science, reflecting a broader push across the government's digital agenda to build a domestic technology workforce rather than rely solely on imported expertise.

Regional ambitions

Officials framed the strategy as a step toward turning Central Africa's largest economy into a regional technology hub, with AI applications targeted at the country's dominant mining and agriculture sectors as well as public health and education delivery.