Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced that Ethiopia will establish its first Artificial Intelligence (AI) university, with preparatory work expected to be completed within the next six months.
The Prime Minister made the announcement while speaking at a high-level discussion held under the theme “The Role of Scholars in National Prosperity”, organized as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations of Addis Ababa University.
In his remarks, Abiy stressed that Ethiopia must compete globally in the technology sector to secure long-term national prosperity.
According to the Prime Minister, there is currently only one specialized AI university in the world, and the planned Ethiopian institution would become the second of its kind globally.
He noted that while the university will admit a relatively small number of students, its focus will be on producing highly skilled and globally competitive graduates.
Abiy explained that the university aims to graduate around 1,000 students, emphasizing quality over quantity.
As part of its continental outlook, the institution will allocate 100 student slots to African countries, with two students selected from each country to receive advanced AI training in Ethiopia.
Domestically, the Prime Minister said only two percent of Ethiopian applicants would be admitted through a highly competitive selection process.
This approach, he said, is intended to build a workforce with strong practical and applied knowledge in advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and related fields.
He added that the construction of the AI university would further enhance Ethiopia’s role in the modern global technology ecosystem and strengthen the country’s position as a regional hub for innovation and research.
However, the Prime Minister did not disclose key details regarding the project, including the proposed location of the university, its funding sources, or whether it will operate as a fully government-funded institution or involve private-sector participation.
Ethiopia has already taken steps to strengthen its AI ecosystem.
In 2020, the government established the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute (EAII) as a center for AI research, development, and policy implementation.
The institute operates as an autonomous federal entity under the Office of the Prime Minister and focuses on applying AI solutions in priority sectors such as health, agriculture, and education.
The proposed AI university is expected to build on this foundation, positioning Ethiopia at the forefront of artificial intelligence development on the African continent.