The Democratic Republic of Congo announced in late 2024 the drafting of its National Digital Plan 2026–2030 and its first National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, with a headline investment commitment of approximately $1.5 billion aimed at making the DRC a regional technology hub by 2030. The strategy includes the establishment of a Congolese Artificial Intelligence Academy to train young professionals, promote applied research, and stimulate local innovation, with a stated goal of training 250,000 youth in AI, cybersecurity, and programming. Government-backed training programmes in collaboration with Cisco and Cybastion were set to begin in September 2025.
Infrastructure investment is a central component: the rollout of 388 SMART Labs in five provinces is underway, alongside provision of digital equipment in nearly 5,700 secondary schools. The Five-Year Plan 2024–2029 identifies ICT and digital innovation as levers for modernising education, with priorities including teacher capacity-building and curriculum enrichment.
Who it affects: Secondary school students in provinces receiving SMART Labs and digital equipment. Youth targeted through government-funded training programmes. No binding curriculum mandate has been enacted; implementation depends on whether the AI Academy and training programmes receive sustained funding and execution.
What is notably missing: The National Digital Plan and AI Strategy remain in drafting or early implementation stages. No enacted national law mandates AI literacy in schools. Foundational challenges including unreliable power infrastructure, limited connectivity, and acute teacher training deficits are not addressed by the current commitments. The DRC’s prior digital infrastructure plans have faced significant implementation gaps, and this strategy has not yet been formally enacted as legislation.