Across Africa, 78% of workers earn a living in the informal economy, while only 38% of the population was online by the end of 2024. 

So, while we see artificial intelligence changing businesses globally, have you ever wondered how it can serve those who are still offline?

Africa’s informal economy is ‘the economy’, not a fringe. We have artisans in Aba, farmers in Eldoret and other informal workers driving nearly 60% of the region’s GDP and employing most of its labour force. 

But then, these are the same entrepreneurs least likely to use digital tools. The irony is that the people who could gain the most from automation, insight, and market prediction are also those furthest from it.

The Gap: Connectivity, Literacy, and Trust

While conversations about AI are everywhere now, what’s actually on the ground is uneven. Even where there is connectivity, data is expensive and unreliable. 

According to the GSMA, fewer than 30% of micro-enterprises can use digital productivity tools effectively.

Digital literacy is another challenge. For a market woman in Kano or a tailor in Kigali, the vision of AI usually seems far or abstract. 

Without local-language interfaces, voice-first technology, or tools designed for low-data environments, innovation are at risk of increasing exclusion rather than reducing it.

Who’s Benefiting So Far?

AI adoption in Africa is growing, but mostly at the top. Recent surveys show that over half of medium and large enterprises are testing or deploying AI-driven solutions, while 61% of companies now use cloud technology to automate customer service, logistics, or risk management.

Banks, health providers, and telcos are using algorithms to score credit, detect fraud, or personalise services. 

But the majority of businesses in Africa, including the micro-traders, street vendors, and informal manufacturers, still operate without digital records, electricity, or broadband. The danger is that a new “AI divide” may replace the old digital divide.

Local Innovation That Works

The challenges have not limited some African innovators from closing the gap with practical, inclusive models:

• Twiga Foods (Kenya) uses data analytics to match small farmers with urban vendors, cutting waste and improving incomes.
• M-KOPA turns micropayments from solar and smartphone purchases into credit histories, giving low-income users access to financial services for the first time.
• Moove Africa applies income data from drivers to assess creditworthiness, financing vehicles for those without formal banking history.

These examples show that inclusion is possible and can be profitable. The key is building for constraint, not against it.

Policy and Public Action

Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa have introduced national AI strategy frameworks that emphasise ethics, skills, and localisation. 

The African Union’s AI Blueprint (2025) calls for responsible AI that aligns with local realities, promotes open data sharing, and ensures small enterprises and the informal economy are not left behind.

But frameworks alone won’t bridge the divide. Affordable data, rural connectivity, and digital education are the foundation stones. Without these, policy stays on paper while the informal sector stays offline.

The Opportunity

If designed inclusively, AI could become the continent’s most affordable employee, a virtual assistant that speaks local languages, works offline, and learns from community trade patterns. 

Imagine a market trader in Ibadan using voice commands to check prices or restock inventory; or a mechanic in Accra predicting demand for spare parts from simple text messages.

That’s not a far-off dream but a design challenge.

The actual measure of progress shouod not be limited to how many AI startups Africa produces, but how many businesses in the informal economy find those tools useful. 

When the tomato seller in Onitsha can plan her stock using a feature phone or the boda rider in Kampala can access fair credit through automated scoring, we can say the technology is working.

Until then, the digital revolution is unfinished, the vision is commendable, but limited in reach.

It didn’t arrive in the form of a big announcement or get incubated in a global accelerator program. No. GMind AI was born where exclusion and need coexist, in classrooms across Africa, where underpaid teachers and overwhelmed students have been left to figure things out themselves.

This is a case study of solving huge problems, with huge impact, from the ground up.

Built in Africa, for the World

GMind AI was created from within the challenges of African education systems, overcrowded classrooms, poor infrastructure, and high demand for results. 

Co-founded by Dr Success Ojo, a Nigerian educator and technologist, the platform was built from a simple question: What if technology could actually work for us, not just impress us?

Her response was the design of a platform that understands the realities of teachers and learners, in their languages, and under their limitations. 

Today, GMind AI supports over 10 million users in more than 50 countries, reiterating that African problems, when solved properly, can serve the world.

Education Reimagined, Not Just Automated

GMind AI is a practical, all-in-one platform offering a virtual tutor, real-time lesson planning, multilingual support, note summarization, personalized quizzes, resume and interview prep, plus ClassHub and Assessment Hub for smart teaching and performance tracking—essential tools for today’s educators and learners, not just “nice-to-haves.”

For students, it’s a study partner that never sleeps. For teachers, it’s a personal assistant that doesn’t complain. And unlike most platforms that treat educators like an afterthought, GMind AI centres them.

GMind AI’s Smart Search is built for education—designed not just to provide answers, but to deliver context-rich, tailored insights. Whether you’re creating a syllabus, researching a paper, or prepping a lesson, it delivers precision over generalised results. No more endless Googling—just smart, focused support with accurate sources, citations, and related videos.

The Human Engine Behind the Code

Behind the platform is a team of Nigerian engineers, educators, and AI specialists. But more importantly, there’s conviction. A belief that AI is not a toy for big tech, it is a tool for social good.

Dr Ojo has been very assertive about the company’s north star. She said, “GMind AI is more than a tool; it’s a strategic partner that evolves with you, showcasing unparalleled adaptability and intelligence.” It is a human-centered AI platform, built by educators for educators and learners everywhere—designed to empower, not replace.

She has consistently resisted the temptation to build common, one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, she insisted on Prompt Assist, a feature that provides structured templates for clarity and consistency. She demanded local language support and made sure the platform could be used by people without stable internet or foreign currency accounts.

This is what makes GMind AI not just commendable, but usable.

Bridging Global Gaps

GMind AI is not the first edtech tool to try going global. But it may be the first to do it without losing its focus. Its growth strategy is as grassroots as it gets, relying on diaspora networks, multilingual design, and open-source collaborations.

With strategic partnerships including NVIDIA and LLaMA, GMind AI is powered by world-class AI infrastructure—but the true growth story lies in its partnerships with institutions, teachers’ communities, government agencies, and educator groups.

Students in underserved classrooms rely on tools like “Quiz Me” and the Assignment Helper. More importantly, teachers now see GMind AI as a trusted assistant—one that delivers precision, saves hours of planning time, and frees them up to focus on what matters most: teaching and supporting their students.

Speaking on the company’s mission, Dr Ojo stated, “In 2024, we trained over 50,000 Nigerians, empowering them with the skills to use AI responsibly and effectively. In 2025, GMind AI is set to train 500,000 teachers across Nigeria’s public and private institutions, ensuring they are equipped to thrive in AI-powered classrooms. This initiative reflects our unwavering belief that ethical, inclusive AI adoption is critical to Nigeria’s digital future.”

Recognition, Not Validation

In 2024, GMind AI won the Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning award at the Art of Technology Lagos—affirming its leadership in ethical, inclusive AI innovation. Dr. Ojo, the visionary founder, has earned multiple recognitions, including being named among Africa’s Top 100 Women in Tech, Women in Tech to Watch in 2025, and recipient of the Women of Worth Award (Houston). She was also formally recognized by the Texas House of Representatives for her inspiring leadership.

These milestones underscore GMind AI’s global relevance and local impact—built for real classrooms, driven by real results.

But what truly defines GMind AI is what happens every day—empowering teachers to create AI-driven lessons in minutes, guiding students through personalized learning journeys, and enabling real-time assessments on even the lowest-end devices.

From remote classrooms in Accra to bustling schools in New York, GMind AI is making AI accessible, practical, and transformational for educators and learners everywhere.

Teachers now create teaching hubs in GMind AI ClassHub—our all-in-one learning management and teaching automation tool that powers 24/7 content delivery, live classes, and assignment workflows. It enables co-creation of content among educators, supports local language instruction, and is fully customizable for institutions, education ministries, and learning agencies.

Unlike Magic School AI, Khanmigo, or SchoolAI—which often require high-end access and focus narrowly on tutoring or content generation—GMind AI is built mobile-first, multilingual, and optimized for real classrooms, especially in low-resource settings.

For educators and learners everywhere.

Not Just for Africa, But From Africa

There’s a subtle but important difference between exporting Western ideas to Africa, and building African solutions that work anywhere. GMind AI is firmly in the second category.

It doesn’t apologise for where it comes from. It leverages it. That’s why it works.

Where most platforms see users, GMind sees people. Where most companies pitch features, GMind delivers outcomes. And where most global tools enter Africa to extract value, GMind begins in Africa and scales to solve global challenges including affordability, accessibility, collaboration.

In Dr Ojo’s words, “By bridging human and machine intelligence, GMind AI creates a space where technology meets real-world needs with precision and empathy.”

GMind AI shows that when African entrepreneurs are trusted with their own problems, and provided with the right support, they can build tools that compete globally and lead.

If you’re still underestimating African technology, this might be the last chance to get on track.