InnoPower Africa, Luma Learn Partner To Scale AI Access Across Africa

In a move aimed at bridging Africa’s widening digital divide, InnoPower Africa and Luma Learn have announced a strategic partnership to expand access to artificial intelligence (AI) tools and education across the continent.

The collaboration is driven by a shared urgency: that Africa’s place in the global AI revolution will be determined not by future promises, but by what is built today.

History, stakeholders say, offers a cautionary tale. Regions that lag behind in adopting transformative technologies often face long-term setbacks, missing opportunities that can take generations to recover. For Africa, the stakes are particularly high. While the continent’s AI market is projected to grow to between $16 billion and $18 billion by 2030, nearly 40 percent of Africans still lack reliable broadband access—highlighting a critical gap between potential and reality.

At the centre of this initiative are two Nigerian-born innovators in the diaspora, united by a commitment to ensuring Africa does not miss this technological turning point.

Chris Folayan, co-founder and board chairman of Luma Learn AI, brings decades of entrepreneurial experience to the partnership. A Silicon Valley-trained technologist, Folayan previously built MallforAfrica into one of the continent’s largest e-commerce platforms. Under his leadership, Luma Learn has already reached more than 160,000 students, delivering over 4.8 million AI-powered tutoring sessions across 11 languages via WhatsApp. The platform’s long-term goal is to provide free, personalised AI education to one million children.

On the other side is Emil Ekiyor, founder and CEO of InnoPower Africa and a former National Football League (NFL) player who has transitioned into social entrepreneurship. Through InnoPower.AI, Ekiyor leads a “train-the-trainer” model that equips professionals from government agencies, NGOs, and financial institutions to deliver practical AI skills to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

Currently, InnoPower Africa is working with the ECOWAS Small Business Coalition to train 250 Master Trainers expected to reach 12,500 small businesses, alongside a partnership with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) targeting 5,000 entrepreneurs through 100 trainers.

Under the new partnership, InnoPower Africa will leverage its U.S.-based network to secure funding and sponsorships aimed at subsidising access to Luma Learn’s platform across West Africa. It will also deploy its network of professionals to drive adoption and integrate Luma’s tools into AI literacy programmes for educators.

Both organisations are targeting an initial funding goal of $250,000 to expand access to millions of students, teachers, and families across the ECOWAS subregion.

“Africa is not waiting for technology to arrive—Africans are already among the most active AI users globally. What is needed now is structured access, training, and infrastructure. That is exactly what this partnership seeks to deliver,”Ekiyor said.

Folayan added that Luma Learn was designed to reach underserved learners often excluded by traditional systems. “Partnering with InnoPower allows us to scale faster and reach deeper into communities that need this most,” he said.

With growing demand for digital skills and increasing global reliance on AI, the partnership underscores a broader push to ensure Africa is not just a consumer of emerging technologies, but an active participant in shaping them.