A study on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in African universities has revealed that public universities are leading in the adoption of AI technologies in teaching, with usage standing at 69%, compared to 57% in private universities.
The findings were discussed during the ‘ELITE Africa Workshop,’ which brought together different universities across Africa to exchange knowledge on the use of AI in higher education.
The study showed that although universities are increasingly embracing AI, most institutions are mainly using it for administrative and teaching purposes rather than directly supporting students or advancing research.
It also found that only 44% of universities have clear policies governing how AI should be used in day-to-day university activities. Among private universities, the figure stands at 36%.
Emelyne Umunoza Gasana, Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of academics and research at Kepler College Rwanda, explained that one of the major challenges universities face is relying on technologies developed abroad that often fail to address local realities.
She said, “We often adopt foreign technologies that do not properly solve our challenges because they were created to address problems in places like California or Amazon, which are different from the issues we face here in Rwanda.”
To address this challenge, Kepler College developed an AI-powered platform called Iga to support students, lecturers, and university administrators.
Iga helps students learn by explaining lessons, providing quizzes, identifying weak areas, and showing where they need improvement.
The platform also assists lecturers by grading students, identifying areas where learners struggle, highlighting where more attention is needed, and helping prepare lessons.
In addition, the technology helps administrators monitor student behavior, including lateness and absenteeism, while also tracking teaching progress and student performance.
Edward Amarteifio, a lecturer at University of Cape Coast in Ghana, noted that building university-owned AI systems requires significant investment. However, he stressed that universities must still teach students about AI and its applications so they are not left behind in the job market.
He said, “Today, some employers require workers to possess AI-related skills, and this has become one of the factors considered during recruitment. AI is extremely important for students because we now live in a world where almost everything relies on technology.”
He added, “People should also understand that AI is not coming to replace humans or take away jobs. Instead, it is designed to make work easier. In the past, if you needed blended tomatoes, you used traditional methods, but now you use a blender. AI works in the same way.”
Participants at the workshop also emphasized that universities should not prohibit students from using AI tools, but instead guide them on how to use them responsibly and effectively.
