Patterson Institute coordinates pilot to transform Africa, Caribbean into global tech powers

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced its sponsorship of groundbreaking pilot artificial intelligence (AI) hubs designed to transform Africa and the Caribbean into competitive forces in the global technology landscape.

The initiative, coordinated by the PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, has already launched at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus, with plans to develop advanced AI ecosystems across both regions.

Dr Gladstone Fluney Hutchinson, distinguished fellow and principal director of the African-Caribbean AI project at the PJ Patterson Institute, is spearheading the transformative effort alongside collaborators from The UWI and global partners. The initiative envisions AI hubs as catalysts for industrial modernisation, job creation, and equitable global economic participation.

Key stakeholders recently convened at the African Export-Import Bank’s annual meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, to advance the project. The high-level discussions included Dr Hutchinson; Dr Nicholas Kerr, political scientist at the University of Florida; Patterson, former Jamaica prime minister and statesman in residence at the PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, UWI; and Dr Rosalea Hamilton, CEO of the Institute of Law and Economics at the University of Technology, Jamaica.

“This represents a strategic leap towards digital sovereignty and economic emancipation for peoples of African descent,” said former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a prominent supporter of the initiative. “Africa and the Caribbean must no longer be consumers at the mercy of global innovation – they must become co-creators.”

The ambitious plan includes development of AI-enabled industries, training centres, semiconductor fabrication facilities, and robust data infrastructure. The strategy leverages Africa’s mineral resources alongside the Caribbean’s strategic logistics advantages to create a powerful economic alliance.

CLARION CALL

Speaking at the 32nd Afreximbank annual meetings’ high-level plenary on ‘Deepening the Policy Relevance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions in a Polarised World’, Patterson delivered a clarion call for immediate deepening of Africa-Caribbean ties. “As one people divided only by geography of the Atlantic Ocean, our collective interests are bound by our common challenges and aspirations,” Patterson declared. “This is a time when we must move beyond resilience in the face of adversity to actively set our own goals: striving together to prosper together!”

MANIFESTATION OF VISION

The statesman-in-residence at the institute bearing his name has emphasised that the AI project represents a concrete manifestation of this vision.

“The goal is to spearhead the development of generative artificial intelligence industries in these regions into localised, knowledge-intensive and value- and wealth-creating globally competitive industries,” he said.

The PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, established to deepen Pan-African collaboration, provides the intellectual foundation for coordinating this continental initiative.

This AI initiative aligns with Afreximbank’s broader technology investments, including its flagship accelerator programme launched in April 2025, which offers up to $250,000 in equity investment for African entrepreneurs developing innovative trade solutions. The bank has also successfully expanded its Pan-African Payment and Settlement System to 16 African countries, using AI to transform cross-border payments and agricultural finance.

“Our support for this project marks a turning point in building a resilient, future-ready Africa-Caribbean economy,” said an Afreximbank spokesperson. “This represents leadership through innovation, creativity, and cooperation, rather than resource exploitation.”

The announcement comes as global financial institutions dramatically increase AI investments. Bank of America recently allocated $4 billion – nearly a third of its total technology budget – towards AI and new tech initiatives in 2025, highlighting the strategic importance of artificial intelligence in modern economic competition.

Afreximbank has been pushing for AI-driven compliance systems to boost African trade, recognising AI’s ability to analyse large data volumes and detect anomalies that could revolutionise African financial institutions.

By anchoring innovation in local talent and cross-border partnerships, the project promises a replicable model for inclusive technological development. The initiative focuses on building semiconductor fabrication capabilities, establishing comprehensive training programmes, and creating data infrastructure that bridges continental resources with Caribbean logistics expertise.

Patterson emphasised the urgency of the initiative.

“We are building an edifice of technological innovation where we deploy our assets within the global economy, leverage our human capital and resource base under sovereign control to promote shared prosperity,” he said.

The pilot AI hubs represent the first phase of a broader strategy to position Africa and the Caribbean as AI innovation centres, rather than mere commodity suppliers. Success could establish templates for continental-scale technology initiatives and demonstrate that innovation leadership need not remain concentrated in traditional tech capitals.

With Afreximbank’s financial backing and the intellectual leadership of the PJ Patterson Institute, this initiative signals a fundamental shift towards technological self-determination for regions representing over 1.5 billion people globally.