On October 1, 2026, the AI Hub of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) met with Gabonese digital entrepreneurs at the UNDP Gabon Green House in Libreville. The meeting, attended by technical advisor to the Minister of Digital Economy, Youri Yangari, aimed to present the AI Hub's support mechanisms for Gabonese startups using artificial intelligence (AI). This follows three days of work on elaborating Gabon's future national AI strategy. The AI Hub's support is tailored to help startups overcome challenges in areas such as cybersecurity and access to computing power.
The AI Hub's support is structured around two complementary pathways. The first focuses on ecosystem and fundamental infrastructure, aiming to strengthen levers for large-scale AI deployment, including computing, data, language models, and governance. The second pathway targets innovators already applying AI to concrete problems in priority sectors such as energy, agriculture, health, water, education, and financial services. UNDP experts also presented several flagship programs, including the Compute & Talent Accelerator, which offers African innovators access to GPUs and cloud computing.
The Compute & Talent Accelerator provides technical support, networking, and structured pathways to G7 partners. Another program, the AI Infrastructure Builder, connects African AI infrastructure builders to G7 capital and expertise. The AI Vocal Diffusion program deploys open-source vocal AI in African languages, primarily offline, under a trilateral agreement between Italy, India, and Kenya. Cyber4Africa, a program with Cyber 4.0 and Cisco, aims to strengthen the cyber resilience of African AI startups through security assessments, targeted training, and expert support.
Gabonese entrepreneurs expressed interest in the AI Hub's support. Sonia Ntsame Essono, a participant, stated that she attended the meeting to seize opportunities for accelerating her activity and welcomed exchanges with other entrepreneurs. Jannaï Richard, founder of Nexus AI, an AI trained on a Gabonese model and speaking in Fang, seeks material support to strengthen his laboratory. He noted that his current equipment is limited, and he needs more power to develop his projects quickly.
The AI Hub is structured around five pillars: data, green computing, talent, trust, and financing. Approved by the G7 and co-piloted by the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) and the UNDP, the initiative brings together private actors from 18 African countries and G7 nations to promote concrete, inclusive, and sustainable AI. The AI Hub's programs aim to support African startups in developing and scaling AI solutions.
The meeting with Gabonese entrepreneurs is part of the AI Hub's efforts to engage with African startups and provide tailored support. The UNDP's initiative aims to bridge the gap between AI innovation and implementation in Africa. By providing access to computing power, expertise, and funding, the AI Hub seeks to empower African startups to develop and deploy AI solutions that address local challenges.
Interested entrepreneurs are invited to submit their solutions on the dedicated platform to integrate the AI Hub's selection process. The AI Hub's support programs offer a range of opportunities for African startups to accelerate their growth and impact. As the AI Hub continues to engage with African entrepreneurs, it is expected that more startups will benefit from its support programs.
Key points
- The AI Hub provides tailored support to African startups using artificial intelligence.
- The UNDP initiative aims to promote concrete, inclusive, and sustainable AI in Africa.
- The AI Hub's programs offer access to computing power, expertise, and funding for African startups.
