ATII to Spearhead Africa’s Tech-Driven Industrial Revolution at Inaugural African Industrial Forum
The African Technology and Innovation Institutes (ATII) has announced the inaugural African Industrial Forum (AIF), a major initiative to catalyze Africa’s transition into a global manufacturing powerhouse. Scheduled for July 10, 2025, the virtual summit will convene policymakers, academics, industry leaders, and youth representatives to advance smart technologies and innovation. The forum is expected to be a milestone event that aligns with broader continental goals like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is projected to unlock $450 billion in intra-African trade by 2035.
Founded by Professor Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua, a Nigerian and the world’s first Black woman to earn a PhD in Cybernetics, ATII is using the AIF as a platform to build momentum for Africa’s industrial transformation. The summit is themed “Africa’s Future: Shaping Global Industries Through Smart Manufacturing, Automation, and Artificial Intelligence,” and comes at a time of notable progress, including a 67% increase in Nigeria’s manufacturing foreign direct investment, totaling $1.59 billion in 2023.
The forum sets out five strategic goals: to promote smart manufacturing using AI and automation, drive cross-sector partnerships, empower youth with high-tech industrial skills, mobilize investment in local production ecosystems, and close skills gaps in the workforce. Professor Ekeng-Itua emphasized that this summit is more than an event—it’s a continental “call to action” designed to connect education with employment, policy with practice, and vision with implementation.
Key speakers at the event include a mix of thought leaders and technocrats such as John Kamara, founder of the AI Centre of Excellence Africa, and Dr. Akanimo Odon from Lancaster University, among others. Their participation is expected to provide expert insights and build critical partnerships. The forum will also feature a keynote titled “Africa’s Industrial Renaissance,” a stakeholder panel, and awards recognizing pioneers of industrial growth across the continent.
ATII’s broader mission is to serve as a knowledge transfer hub, linking research and industry across Africa and Indigenous communities. It provides policy-relevant, locally grounded research in areas like Artificial Intelligence, Clean Technology, and Climate Resilience. With the AIF summit, ATII aims to reposition Africa from being a consumer economy to becoming a central force in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driving sustainable, inclusive development led by African ingenuity.
Source: Leadership