TLDR: At the Kgalema Motlanthe Inclusive Growth Forum, speakers underscored the critical need for Africa to harness artificial intelligence and empower its youth to drive economic growth and avert digital disparity. Discussions highlighted the importance of robust digital infrastructure, significant investment, and strategic public-private partnerships.
The recent Kgalema Motlanthe Inclusive Growth Forum, held from October 10-12, 2025, in KwaZulu-Natal, served as a pivotal platform for leaders from government, business, labor, academia, and youth to address challenges in fostering an inclusive economy. Under the theme ‘Defining the national interest,’ the forum placed a strong emphasis on geopolitics, trade, and strategies for equitable growth. A central theme resonating throughout the discussions was the imperative to harness artificial intelligence (AI) and leverage the continent’s burgeoning youth population for sustainable development.
Speakers at the forum, particularly on day two, stressed the transformative potential of AI. However, experts also cautioned that Africa currently lags in the adoption of AI and machine learning. MTN CEO Ralph Mupita highlighted the foundational requirements for a robust digital economy in South Africa and across the continent. “We need electricity in Africa in order to power the systems that are behind this generative AI and future forms of AI like artificial general intelligence and super intelligence, so the main thing is electricity,” Mupita stated. He further emphasized the need for significant investment in digital infrastructure, projecting that approximately ‘$100 billion’ would be required to build more data centers and achieve continent-wide fiberization. Mupita also advocated for the inclusion of African languages into AI systems and robust digital skilling initiatives.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Dr Blade Nzimande echoed these sentiments, kicking off day two with a focus on how technology can create jobs and address pressing issues like unemployment. He urged increased investment in skills training to prepare the youth for future employment opportunities, asserting, “The youth are our biggest asset – we must leverage their ideas and harness AI to drive change.”
Beyond AI and youth empowerment, delegates discussed other critical drivers of economic growth. Investing in resilient public infrastructure was identified as a significant economic growth driver, with public and private sector partnerships noted as essential for shared prosperity. Former Finance Minister and Old Mutual Board Chair, Trevor Manuel, drew attention to the continent’s high debt levels and the escalating cost of capital, which continue to impede progress. Manuel pointed out that many African countries spend more on debt servicing than on health, and about 20% allocate more to debt service than to education, effectively ‘defaulting against the people’ rather than just financial institutions. The forum also underscored the importance of resource mobilization and curbing illicit financial flows as key development imperatives.
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Trade negotiations were also a point of discussion, with Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau revealing that bilateral negotiations with the United States were at a sensitive stage, addressing issues such as black economic empowerment.
