Former Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has called on African governments to aggressively embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology as tools to dismantle bureaucratic barriers and unlock opportunities for the continent’s youth.
Speaking at the LSE Africa Summit 2026 at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Dr Bawumia stressed that Africa’s ability to compete globally will depend largely on how well it leverages technology to empower young people and simplify doing business.
According to him, while African youth are full of ideas and ambition, outdated and inefficient administrative systems continue to slow their progress.
“What they face are obstacles, a lot of bureaucratic obstacles in trying to make things happen,” he noted.
Dr Bawumia explained that digitalisation has the potential to transform how governments operate, particularly by removing long-standing hurdles in areas such as business registration, permits and access to funding.
“When you move into digitalisation, you remove a lot of the bureaucratic obstacles that the youth normally face,” he said.
He further highlighted the role of artificial intelligence in improving access to finance, noting that AI-powered systems can simplify credit scoring and make it easier for young entrepreneurs and small businesses to secure funding.
“Technology makes credit scoring very simple and easy. It allows small businesses and young people to access credit more easily,” he added.
Dr Bawumia emphasised that Africa’s digital future must be built on a strong partnership between governments and the youth, where governments focus on creating an enabling environment while young people drive innovation.
“I see it more as a partnership between the youth and government, with government removing a lot of the bureaucracies,” he stated.
Citing Ghana’s digital property addressing system, he pointed to a real example of how local innovation can thrive when given the opportunity. He revealed that the project, which addressed decades of challenges with location systems, was ultimately won by a young Ghanaian team, outperforming international competitors.
“The winner was a very young team from Ghana that beat all the global competitors,” he recounted.
He said the outcome demonstrates the untapped potential of African youth and the importance of creating platforms for them to compete.
Dr Bawumia concluded by urging African leaders to see artificial intelligence not as a threat, but as a catalyst for economic transformation, job creation and regional integration. He stressed that reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks through technology will be critical in positioning Africa within the global digital economy.
