Africa’s largest artificial intelligence gathering, Deep Learning Indaba 2026, will convene more than 1,000 researchers, engineers, students, startups and policymakers in Lagos from August 2 to August 7 as the continent pushes to strengthen indigenous AI innovation and digital sovereignty.
The eighth edition of the annual event will be hosted at Pan-Atlantic University and will centre on the theme, Sovereign Intelligence, highlighting the need for Africa to develop its own AI infrastructure, data ecosystems and scientific leadership to shape the continent’s technological future.
Since its establishment in 2017, Deep Learning Indaba has evolved into a pan-African movement dedicated to building local expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning. According to Brandspur Brand News, this year’s conference is expected to attract participants from 45 countries across Africa and the global diaspora, making it the largest edition of the event to date.
The week-long programme will feature keynote sessions, technical tutorials, workshops, research presentations and a pan-African hackathon designed to accelerate innovation while strengthening collaboration among AI researchers, entrepreneurs and public sector leaders.
Discussions will focus on six strategic areas, including African language technologies, community-led data infrastructure, AI safety, climate and healthcare applications, digital public infrastructure, intellectual property, and advanced machine learning engineering. Organisers say the agenda is intended to address Africa’s unique opportunities while reducing reliance on foreign data and technology ecosystems.
The conference will feature leading figures from academia, government and the technology industry, including Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Olatunbosun Alake; Microsoft’s Head of Government Affairs for Africa, Akua Gyekye; Hugging Face Chief Ethics Scientist Margaret Mitchell; and several internationally recognised AI researchers.
The event is supported by a broad coalition of global technology companies, research institutions and development organisations, including Google DeepMind, Microsoft Research, Apple, Google Research, Mila, Schmidt Sciences, Cambridge University Press, Cohere, Cassava AI and Zindi.
Pan-Atlantic University, the host institution, said the conference aligns with its commitment to advancing research, innovation and collaboration across Africa while providing a platform for emerging and established AI experts to exchange knowledge and build partnerships.
Beyond the annual conference, Deep Learning Indaba continues to strengthen Africa’s AI ecosystem through its network of IndabaX local chapters operating across 47 countries, alongside research awards that recognise outstanding contributions to artificial intelligence and computer science on the continent.
As global investment in artificial intelligence accelerates, organisers say the 2026 gathering will reinforce Africa’s ambition to move beyond technology adoption and become a leading contributor to the development of next-generation AI solutions.
