2027 edition · Benin
Africa GovAI Summit 2027
Mobilising investment to deploy AI for modern, inclusive and value-creating public governance
- Dates
- Venue
- Palais des Congrès, Cotonou — Blue Hall · Benin
- Organiser
- Organised by PROMOGO BENIN
The forum
African summit for partnerships and investment in artificial intelligence for public governance
The Africa GovAI Summit 2027 is designed as an institutional deal-making platform: it brings together states, multilateral financial institutions, technology companies, investment funds and development partners around a structured pipeline of bankable AI projects.
Context and stakes
West Africa must rapidly modernise the state to absorb demographic pressure, diversify its economy, mobilise more domestic resources and strengthen climate resilience. AI applied to public action — tax revenue, citizen services, risk forecasting, data value — calls for structured investment and new-generation public-private partnerships.
Overall objective
Mobilise a structured portfolio of investments and partnerships around Benin and West Africa to finance, deploy and scale concrete AI projects for public governance.
Featured PROMOGO solution
I-GOV Suite
The I-GOV BENIN SUITE, the Summit’s flagship initiative, applies AI across nine public governance domains.
DiscoverPriority themes
What will be discussed and decided
Public finance
Smart tax audits, budget transparency, anti-fraud.
Health
Assisted diagnosis, epidemic surveillance, rural telemedicine.
Education
Personalised learning, guidance, dropout detection.
Agriculture
Food security, precision farming, climate risk.
Trade, transport & customs
Digital single window, intra-African logistics, risk targeting.
Natural resources
Mines, water, forests: satellite and AI monitoring.
Public safety
National cybersecurity, crisis prevention, civil protection.
Environment & climate
Climate monitoring, adaptation, community resilience.
Citizen services
Digital identity, smart cities, rural digital inclusion.
Objectives
Expected results
Bankable project pipeline
Structure AI projects with investment files, business models and risk matrices.
XOF 300 billion in commitments
Target to mobilise from development banks, agencies, funds and industry.
Launch the I-GOV BENIN SUITE
An operational framework applying AI across nine governance domains, 2027-2030.
Sovereign AI data
Secure financing for a Beninese sovereign AI data centre and regional connectivity.
15 structuring agreements
Smart mobility, e-government, digital inclusion, AI skills, startup financing.
- expected participants
- 2 500+
- countries represented (target)
- 40+
- bankable projects (target)
- 25+
- structuring agreements (target)
- 15+
- I-GOV modules presented
- 9
Figures shown are Summit targets.
Institutions named in the concept note are prospective partners; only confirmed partners are shown as such.
Source: Note conceptuelle Africa GovAI Summit 2027
Audiences
Who takes part
Official delegations
Heads of state and government, ministers of digital, finance and AI, regional institutions.
Financial partners
Multilateral banks, bilateral agencies, sovereign funds, DFIs, commercial banks.
Private and tech sector
Industry, operators, African tech champions, AI startups, venture funds.
Academia and civil society
Universities, research centres, think tanks, NGOs and media.
Programme
Two days
Day 1 ·
Vision, investment pipeline and deployment
- 08:00
Welcome of official delegations, accreditation
- 09:30Opening
Official opening ceremony
- 10:30Plenary 1
"AI for governance that attracts capital"
- 12:00
Official lunch and diplomatic networking
- 14:00Plenary 2
Presentation of the I-GOV BENIN SUITE portfolio and pipeline (9 modules)
- 15:30Round table
Regional coordination of AI projects in West Africa
- 17:00Demos
Operational launch of I-GOV BENIN SUITE: demos of the 9 modules
- 19:30
Official dinner (by invitation)
Day 2 ·
Partnerships, deal-making and commitments
- 08:30Workshops
Parallel sector workshops (8 rooms) per I-GOV module
- 10:00Investors
Investor & PPP forum, investor / project speed-dating
- 12:00
Working lunch: multilateral partners session
- 14:00Bilaterals
Structured bilateral sessions
- 15:30Signings
Signing of partnership agreements
- 16:30
Consolidated report of commitments
- 17:30Closing
Closing ceremony: joint 2027-2030 roadmap
Take part
Why attend or exhibit
Governments
Present projects and meet funders around a structured pipeline.
Financial institutions
Access pre-structured AI projects with files and risk matrices.
Technology companies
Demonstrate solutions to public decision-makers and form PPPs.
Startups and researchers
Meet investors and institutions during speed-dating sessions.