Africa has a unique opportunity to harness artificial intelligence (AI) to transform its supply chains and drive sustainable economic development, the Co-Chair of the 2026 CARISCA Supply Chain Research Summit, Prof. Adegoke Oke, has said.
Speaking at the opening of the 6th CARISCA Supply Chain Research Summit, Prof. Oke urged policymakers, researchers, industry leaders and practitioners to embrace AI as a strategic partner that can improve supply chain performance across the continent.
The summit, organised by the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation in Supply Chain–Africa (CARISCA) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), was held at the Cedi Conference Centre, University of Ghana, on the theme: “Transforming Supply Chains in Africa in the Age of AI.” The just-ended three-day event, from July 6-8, 2026, attracted more than 200 participants from across Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, the United States, Europe and other parts of the world, providing a platform for researchers and industry leaders to exchange ideas on the future of supply chains in Africa.
According to Prof. Oke, AI is no longer simply a technological tool but an essential companion that can help organisations make better decisions, improve efficiency and strengthen supply chain resilience.
“AI has become very, very important not just as a tool to help managers manage supply chains better, but also as a companion for organisations and for people,” he said.
While acknowledging that Africa faces infrastructure and capability challenges, he stressed that these should not be viewed as barriers to innovation.
“We don’t have the infrastructure like the West, and we don’t have all the capabilities, but we have a lot of resources and a young, vibrant population that can make very, very good use of AI,” Prof. Oke noted.
He explained that Africa’s relatively limited dependence on legacy digital systems presents a significant advantage in AI adoption.
“The good thing about implementing AI in Africa is that we don’t have the legacy systems that many countries in the West have. We can simply leapfrog and implement AI in all that we do,” he said.
Prof. Oke emphasised that AI should not be seen as a replacement for human expertise but as a technology that enhances human capability.
“When we think about AI, we are not thinking about whether AI is going to replace humans. No. We want AI to be a companion that helps us do things better. Activities that typically take days or weeks can be accelerated with AI, and that is very important to Africa’s development,” he said.
He also highlighted Africa’s youthful, digitally connected population as a major strength in accelerating AI adoption across industries.
“People in Africa are very versatile with the use of mobile phones. With AI, it becomes even easier to use these technologies to perform everyday tasks,” he said.
Focusing on supply chains, Prof. Oke explained that AI has enormous potential to improve visibility across complex supply networks, enabling organisations to make better-informed decisions from suppliers to end customers.
He further cited agriculture as one of the sectors that stands to benefit significantly from AI-powered supply chains.
“A farmer in Africa can use AI to understand what the market wants in good time, understand market prices and demand, and supply products accordingly. This helps reduce food waste and ensures farmers are not cheated,” he explained.
Prof. Oke urged African institutions and businesses to act decisively rather than waiting for solutions developed elsewhere.
“This is the time. We cannot wait to learn from the West. We have to be proactive in implementing AI,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the summit would inspire greater collaboration and practical action to position Africa as a global leader in AI-enabled supply chains.
“Our focus is on how AI can transform supply chains in Africa. I hope we all seize this opportunity, move forward together and become leaders in AI for supply chains.”