A High-Level Structured Methodology for Development of AI Systems in Africa

AI is a potential game changer for Africa to address the specific challenges she faces in sectors like healthcare, climate change and water-related issues. However, the regulation of AI is still largely underdeveloped in Africa with some existing policies and frameworks still being young. Therefore, as the adoption of AI systems spreads across Africa, so does the need for a structured methodology to guide organizations in either developing new AI systems or onboarding existing ones while maintaining the quality and ethicality of these systems. This paper aims to develop a holistic methodology that provides comprehensive guidance to companies considering to develop new AI systems or onboard existing systems. The goal is to support the development and deployment of AI systems tailored to the specific needs of Africa. The proposed methodology employs a lifecycle approach that integrates both Agile and Waterfall frameworks. By combining the adaptive flexibility of Agile with the structured progression of Waterfall, this methodology ensures adaptability and thoroughness throughout the AI system's development and implementation phases. The integration of these methodologies offers a robust, adaptable framework that can be tailored to the unique demands of AI projects in Africa, from design to implementation, deployment as well as maintenance phases, thereby maximizing the potential impact of AI technologies in the region.