82% of African Organisations Running AI Pilot Phase as Adoption Grows

No fewer than 82 per cent of organisations across Africa are currently running artificial intelligence (AI) pilot projects, reflecting a growing appetite for the technology, but only a few have succeeded in scaling adoption across their enterprises, according to a new report by PwC.

The latest AI performance findings by PwC revealed that while organisations on the continent are actively experimenting with AI, many are yet to translate this ambition into measurable returns and enterprise-wide transformation.

The report noted that African companies are investing an average of just two per cent of revenue in AI, compared to five per cent among global leaders, while only 32 per cent of respondents believe their current investment is sufficient to deliver meaningful results.

Chief executive officer of PwC Africa, Dion Shango, commenting on the report said Africa’s challenge is not only adopting AI at scale but doing so quickly enough to remain globally competitive.

“While more than 82 per cent of organisations are running AI pilots, this is not yet translating into enterprise-wide impact. The organisations that will win are not those running the most pilots, but those that scale the right AI to transform how they create value.”

According to the report, most African organisations are deploying AI mainly to reduce costs and improve productivity, whereas leading global companies are using the technology to create new revenue streams, redesign value chains and reposition their businesses for long-term growth.

Consulting and Risk Services Leader, PwC West Market, Olufemi Osinubi, also noted that limiting AI to efficiency gains could constrain Africa’s broader economic potential. “Focusing AI only on efficiency is a narrowing strategy. The real opportunity lies in using AI to unlock growth, expand into underserved markets, and create entirely new business models,” he stated.

The report also highlighted industry convergence as one of Africa’s most underutilised opportunities, noting that organisations on the continent are less likely than their global peers to collaborate across sectors to tackle challenges such as financial inclusion, healthcare and energy access.

Chief AI Officer, PwC Nigeria, Christopher Ogirri, commenting, said Africa’s structural complexity and youthful population provide a strong foundation for AI-enabled ecosystem innovation. “Africa’s structural complexity, fragmented markets, infrastructure gaps, and a growing youth population, positions it well for AI-enabled convergence, if organisations design for ecosystems rather than sectors,” he said.

The report identified weak data infrastructure, limited cloud adoption, governance gaps and shortages of AI talent as major obstacles to scaling deployment.

However, it pointed to workforce readiness as a significant competitive advantage. About 64 per cent of workers surveyed said they are already using AI in their roles, suggesting strong openness to adoption.

Partner, Technology Consulting, PwC Kenya, Laolu Akindele, said employees are often more prepared to use AI than organisational leaders. “The workforce is ahead of the organisation in many cases. Employees are ready to use AI, but leaders are still building trust in AI-driven decisions. Bridging that gap is critical to scaling adoption,” he said.

AI Africa Leader, PwC South Africa, Christiaan Nel, urged business leaders to move from experimentation to disciplined execution. “Turning AI ambition into measurable impact requires focus and discipline. Leaders must invest with intent, prioritise growth, and create the conditions for AI to scale, combining strong foundations with workforce readiness and ecosystem thinking,” he said.