NEWS
African cities are emerging as some of the world’ s most enthusiastic adopters of AI despite continuing challenges around digital infrastructure, funding and technology ecosystems, according to Boston Consulting Group’ s Intelligent Cities Index 2026.
The inaugural index assessed 61 cities across 39 countries on how effectively they use technology to serve residents and businesses. London, Dubai, New York City, Washington, DC and Amsterdam topped the global rankings.
African cities remained in the developing maturity category, with Johannesburg ranked 58th, Casablanca 59th, Cairo 60th and Lagos 61st. However, the research found a striking contrast between their overall maturity and residents’ appetite for AI.
African cities emerge as enthusiastic AI adopters
with optimism about its potential. Casablanca also achieved a global top 10 ranking for AI adoption.
BCG said African cities do not necessarily need to wait for worldclass infrastructure or deep funding ecosystems before using AI to improve urban services. Targeted AI-enabled services addressing residents’
immediate needs could provide an alternative route towards greater intelligent-city maturity.
“ AI is a key foundation of the intelligent city, and AI adoption and optimism are not confined to the‘ usual suspects’ technology hubs,” said Akram Awad, managing director and partner at BCG and co-author of the report.
Young populations are helping drive adoption, with more than half of the population in Cairo, Casablanca and Lagos under 35. These cities fall into BCG’ s‘ AI Enthusiasts’ category, combining strong generative AI usage
Lesotho first country to implement United Nations AI blueprint
Lesotho has become the first country in the world to use the United Nations master plan for Artificial Intelligence( AI), Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane has announced.
Matekane made the announcement while addressing world leaders in New York during the second UN Digital Cooperation Day, held on the margins of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Prime Minister Matekane said Lesotho had first assessed its readiness for AI before testing the UN Blueprint, which he said had proved useful and had now placed the country at the implementation stage.
He said for more than a year, the Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation, under Minister Nthati Moorosi, had been assessing what Lesotho needed to develop and use AI, including computing capacity, data centres, internet connectivity, skills and financing.
He pointed out that Lesotho had learned an important lesson in Geneva that the digital divide was no longer only about access to the internet, but increasingly about access to computing power, data and skills needed to develop and control AI.
“ Lesotho already has three digital policies, a government data centre and a Chief Digital Officer. We know what we need,” he said.
The Prime Minister stressed that technology must bring tangible benefits to ordinary people.
“ Every investment in digital infrastructure must be justified by tangible improvements in people’ s lives, whether in agriculture, health, education, water or public service,” he said.
Nthati Moorosi
He said Lesotho would not simply copy developed countries, but would develop systems suited to its resources and needs.
“ We will build what fits our resources and our needs. Infrastructure must follow demand,” he said.
Matekane announced that Lesotho had completed the planning stage and had begun Phase One of its National Compute Roadmap, which will run from 2026 to 2029. www. intelligentcio. com
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