Deep Learning Indaba

Last week I was at #Deep #Learning #Indaba #2025 in Kigali, Rwanda — a powerful gathering themed #Urunana: Hand-in-Hand for AI in Africa. I had the privilege of contributing as a keynote speaker, workshop organizer, panelist, roundtable participant, poster judge, and mentor. This year’s Indaba was remarkable for its scale, diversity, and the wealth of African talent it brought together. It was inspiring to engage with researchers, students, and innovators from across the continent and beyond — reconnecting with collaborators and forging new partnerships. The momentum around African-led AI is stronger than ever. Let’s keep building, hand in hand. #DLI2025 #AIforAfrica #Microsoft #Researc #AIforGoodLab #ResponsibleAI #CommunityBuilding #AfricanInnovation #DeepLearningIndaba

Last week, the Deep Learning Indaba brought together in Rwanda about 1300 attendees from all over Africa, in a week-long epic celebration of the beauty and vibrancy that is the African machine learning community. It was particularly meaningful for me to see how much richer the continent has become since we started this movement in 2017, in the quality of the work being done, the inclusion of almost every African country, and the connections between individual researchers. There really is nothing like this movement anywhere in the world in terms of the buzzing energy and endless talent! It is so humbling to see this new generation of AI practitioners in Africa rising up together for a better world! An absolute highlight for me was to have 16 members (current and alumni) of our research lab, the RAIL Lab, at the Indaba. These people inspire me constantly, with their incredible work and dedication! It was brilliant to see their involvement everywhere, from organising the robotics and neuroAI workshops, to giving talks and winning awards. They are all making names for themselves locally and abroad, and I couldn't be prouder! Thank you Dr Steven James, Dr Ndivhuwo MAKONDO, Dr Branden Ingram, Dr Devon Jarvis, Dr Geraud Nangue Tasse, Sicelukwanda Zwane, Siddarth Singh, Jenalea Rajab, Roy Eyono, Kale-ab Tessera, Arnol Fokam, Alexandra Barry, Joshua Bruton, Abdel Mfougouon Njupoun, Samuel Mba, Jessica Rees

Over 1000 young African machine learning and AI researchers, enthusiasts, innovators and funders are gathering in Kigali this week at the Deep Learning Indaba 2025. AUDA-NEPAD is honoured to have joined this vibrant ecosystem for the very first time, represented in the AI Policy in Africa keynote panel alongside global thought leaders and leading African researchers. Our participation reflects AUDA-NEPAD’s commitment to bridging continental policy leadership with Africa’s grassroots technical talent. We believe that for AI to truly serve the continent, it must be co-created — through inclusive governance, responsible innovation, and by empowering African researchers at every level. At AUDA-NEPAD, we are advancing AI for public good through: ✅⁠ ⁠The Continental AI Strategy and our AI continental white paper and Roadmap, now being translated into sector-specific guidance; ✅ ⁠Partnerships with the private sector to embed ethics, equity, and inclusion in AI systems; ✅⁠ ⁠Strategic programmes like the Presidential Youth in AI & Robotics Competition, the educational digital public infrastructure initiatives, and AI governance initiatives in health and agriculture. We celebrate the Deep Learning Indaba for being a movement — one that aligns with our vision of ensuring Africa is not only catching up, but creating what’s next

🌍 What a week in Kigali! The AfriClimate AI team had an incredible time at Deep Learning Indaba 2025, where Africa’s brightest minds came together to shape the future of AI. Here’s a glimpse of what we were up to: ✨ We launched Forecast4Africa, our Google.org funded flagship project bringing open, locally adapted weather forecasts to African communities. https://lnkd.in/dkVCG_24 ✨ We officially opened 3 full research positions on Forecast4Africa and we’re hiring! https://lnkd.in/dSXztyhZ ✨ Our weather benchmarking project, fully led by community members, shared their latest results. ✨ Rendani Mbuvha, our co-founder, joined leaders across the continent panel to share insights on funding opportunities. ✨ The AfriNet team returned as last year’s ideathon winners, to share their progress and achievements. Our co-founder and AfriNet lead Sabrina Amrouche presented the AfriNet results and insights. Browse the notebook here https://lnkd.in/dQAkzimg ✨ We hosted ten lightning talks from inspiring community members and celebrated three award winners. ✨ We launched a brand-new Zindi challenge in collaboration with TAHMO and Google DeepMind. Pre-register here https://lnkd.in/dzHzfFJm ✨ We hosted a vibrant networking event sponsored by GIZ Rwanda, connecting researchers, policymakers, and innovators and our community members. ✨ We ran a full-day workshop on AI for a Climate-Resilient Africa with talks, tutorials, builders table and community discussions. ✨We joined the IDRC roundtable, an informal engagement with Canada’s High Commissioner in Rwanda, sharing updates on AI4D projects and hearing valuable perspectives from the development and diplomatic side. Thank you to our amazing speakers, partners, volunteers, and the entire Indaba community. Together, we are building an African-led ecosystem for Climate AI. What a week, and this is only the summary! Rendani Mbuvha John Bagiliko Santiago Hincapie Amal Nammouchi Patience Chizoba Mba Ibrahim Salihu Yusuf Shruti N. Aya Salama Betsy Muriithi-Ochieng' Pape Malick D. Josiah Kimani Koomi Toussaint AMOUSSOUVI Hossein Masoumi Karakani, Ph.D. #AIforClimate #DeepLearningIndaba #ClimateTech #AfricaInnovation #AfriClimateAI

What a wonderful time I had at Deep Learning Indaba in Kigali, Rwanda. If you're looking for a conference that makes a positive impact with AI, look no further than Indaba, what a wonderful group of brilliant students, AI practitioners and researchers!! Thanks for the invitation and for a great organization to my good friend Tejumade Afonja (one of the top advocates of AI in the world). We gave an LLM workshop with a great team including Qurat ul Ain, Jabez Magomere, Amel Sellami, abla hagani, who built an amazing codelab (I could have never built something so good). Thank you to all the great people and luminaries I saw there Bruno Ssekiwere (head of Indaba), Ayodele Awokoya, Bunmi Akinremi, Yessine Khanfir, Aya Salama, Sakinat Folorunso, Siobhan Mackenzie Hall, and so many others! #Indaba #Urunana

We gathered in Kigali from across the continent and beyond for the 2025 Deep Learning Indaba. Nearly 3,000 applied to join this year’s annual gathering. 1,294 were accepted and registered in person, with another 400 attending virtually. For six days, we immersed ourselves in AI research, development, debate, teaching, and learning. A tall Baobab tree standing, started from a seed of 300 gathered in 2017 at the first Indaba in Johannesburg. This year also marked a milestone: 100 papers submitted, with 19 accepted into the very first full DLI Proceedings. A testament to the growing strength of African-led research. We came together to strengthen African Machine Learning. To strengthen our countries, our communities, and ourselves. To refill our cups, so we may return to a new year of building. A Pan-African movement that now sees 50 IndabaX events across 50 countries, with the dream of all 54 African nations represented soon within reach. Sometimes, they do not believe until they see. So we show them, through the excellence of our work. Urunana. Hand in hand. We will build the African AI we want. #DLI2025 Lets build together - https://lnkd.in/dhXDb28v DS-I Africa, Data Science Africa(DSA), DSN - Data Science Nigeria, Lelapa AI, Data Science for Social Impact (DSFSI), Artificial Intelligence for Development (AI4D), Masakhane, Gates Foundation. EqualyzAI, The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), Partnership on AI, Schmidt Sciences, The Rockefeller Foundation, Wellcome Trust, Lerato D. Mataboge, Barbara Glover, Brando Okolo, Rebecca Finlay, Felecia Webb.,Pierrette Mahoro Mastel, Bruno Ssekiwere, Tejumade Afonja, Shakir Mohamed, Ulrich Paquet, Nyalleng Moorosi, George Konidaris, Benjamin Rosman, Willie Brink, Richard Klein, Sisonke Biotik, AfriClimate AI