ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF AFRICAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS: OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND PATHWAYS FORWARD

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming African education by openingunprecedented opportunities to expand access, promote equity, and improve learning outcomes.At the same time, it highlights systemic issues related to infrastructure, capacity, and governance.This article examines the potential of AI in African higher and secondary education by critiquing emerging opportunities in personalized learning, operational effectiveness, and research productivity.The discussion will also address structural challenges, including infrastructure limitations, ethical use, academic integrity, and the role of teachers.Based on peer-reviewed African literature and systematic reviews published between 2019 and 2025, the analysis reveals that AI adoption is uneven across the continent, concentrated in digitally enabled areas, with disparities growing in less-resourced regions.