The African Export‑Import Bank (Afreximbank) has embarked on a groundbreaking journey to position Africa and the Caribbean at the forefront of global technological innovation. In collaboration with the Afreximbank & PJ Patterson Institute for Africa‑Caribbean Advocacy, and with initial launch support at the University of the West Indies’ Mona campus, this initiative will form pilot hubs dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI)—a strategic step to empower nations and uplift communities across two continents.
This ambitious pilot, officially rolled out in June 2025, responds to a shared vision: transforming Africa and the Caribbean from passive recipients into proactive co-creators in the evolving world of AI-driven development. Central to the project’s leadership is Dr. Gladstone Fluney Hutchinson, distinguished fellow and principal director of the African‑Caribbean AI project at the Afreximbank & PJ Patterson Institute, who has worked in close partnership with UWI colleagues and international collaborators to ensure the initiative is rooted in both regional strengths and global best practices.
At its core, the pilot seeks to establish AI innovation hubs designed to foster generative AI research, build robust training programmes, and create value‑driven industries across both regions. By combining Africa’s mineral wealth (including strategic resources like cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements) with the Caribbean’s logistical infrastructure and connectivity, the project creates a powerful synergy that supports sustainable economic development and digital sovereignty.
Afreximbank & PJ Patterson Institute’s involvement brings more than symbolic endorsement—it includes tangible investment. As part of its broader technology investment strategy, the bank’s April 2025 accelerator programme is already providing equity funding of up to US$250,000 per startup, nurturing African entrepreneurs to develop trade-facilitating innovations. Moreover, the bank has scaled its Pan‑African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to cover 16 African countries, incorporating AI to streamline cross‑border trade and agricultural finance systems.
This project aligns seamlessly with the Afreximbank & PJ Patterson Institute’s mission: to deepen Africa–Caribbean collaboration and amplify the voices of the Global South in global policy arenas. The Institute provides both intellectual capacity and moral leadership, channelling expertise from multiple disciplines—including law, economics, politics, and diplomacy—to ensure the pilot is anchored in strategic thought.
The project gained critical momentum at Afreximbank’s 32nd Annual Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria. Here, high‑profile figures such as Dr. Hutchinson, Dr. Nicholas Kerr (University of Florida political scientist), Dr. Rosalea Hamilton (CEO, Jamaica’s Institute of Law and Economics), and PJ Patterson himself convened to discuss the initiative’s potential. Former Jamaican Prime Minister (and current statesman‑in‑residence at the Afreximbank & PJ Patterson Institute) Patterson delivered a powerful address, calling on Africa and the Caribbean to unite “as one people, divided only by the geography of the Atlantic Ocean” and to shift from resilience to goal‑driven ambition.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian president, endorsed the sentiment, emphasising that these regions must move beyond dependency and ascend from being mere consumers to co‑creators of AI technologies—a strategic move toward economic and digital emancipation.
More than rhetoric, the initiative sets out comprehensive goals:
- Build generative AI research and development capacity through multidisciplinary training, incubators, and collaborative institutions across Africa and the Caribbean.
- Promote inclusive economic integration, linking industries across both regions and leveraging resource, talent, and logistical complementarities.
- Enhance resource governance and ethical supply chain practices to ensure strategic minerals empower local communities and build value chains—rather than perpetuate extraction without gain.
- Ensure social inclusion and safeguard data sovereignty, aligning policy frameworks to protect citizens as AI systems are deployed in sectors like finance, agriculture, education, and healthcare.
- Influence global AI governance by representing the interests of Global Africa in international forums, asserting the need for fairness, data rights, and economic justice.
Former Prime Minister Patterson highlighted the spirit of the project: “It is not about enticing students to AI; it’s about catching up” and equipping younger generations for a technology-driven future—one in which Africa and the Caribbean are active pioneers.
Dr. Daniel Fokum, head of computing at UWI’s Science & Technology Faculty, noted significant student enthusiasm: “AI is really part of the bigger discipline in computing, and computing is actually quite popular as a major… students see AI and what it can do and get excited.”
Dr. Sandrea Maynard, UWI’s Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor for Global Affairs, framed this initiative as not only technical but cultural and generational. She emphasized the need for regional preparation and legislative readiness to ensure data protection and technological sovereignty, acknowledging that this project extends beyond economic development into safeguarding human rights and social cohesion.
This pilot isn’t isolated—it reflects a broader trajectory. Afreximbank continues to channel significant resources into digital infrastructure, and its Caribbean Initiative has already mobilised around US$2.5 billion in project pipelines and US$1.5 billion in investment opportunities, including the establishment of an African Trade Center in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Patterson reinforced the argument, asserting that only with unified, value‑creation oriented cooperation can Africa and the Caribbean move beyond raw‑material dependency and fully participate in 21st‑century technological economies.
The pilot phase, set to last approximately two years, will provide proof of concept. Once completed, participating governments will have blueprints for building infrastructure, crafting regulations, and scaling AI initiatives across sectors—a model that could be replicated across the regions.
Afreximbank & PJ Patterson Institute AI Hubs Pilot: Looking Ahead
Momentum is already building. The AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum, scheduled for July 28–29, 2025, in Grenada, will provide a platform to showcase progress, expand partnerships, and integrate these AI-driven objectives into broader economic development agendas.
Taken together, this pilot initiative is more than a technology project; it represents a movement toward self-reliance, cultural pride, and strategic positioning within global AI ecosystems. By weaving together innovation, resource sovereignty, education, governance, and diplomacy, it charts a new course—one where Africa and the Caribbean actively shape their futures.
From Mona to Abuja, Cairo to Bridgetown, the message is clear: If these regions can unlock the power of AI, they can transform centuries of shared challenges into opportunities—creating wealth, fostering stability, and lifting communities across continents. As Chief Obasanjo aptly stated, “Africa and the Caribbean must no longer be consumers at the mercy of global innovation—they must become co‑creators.”
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
