This course is the first webinar in a three-part series on Artificial Intelligence Governance for Policymakers and Regulators, jointly delivered by the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA), under the World Bank-funded WARDIP SOP1 initiative, and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS).
The series builds on the experience of the AIMS Data Science Capacity Building Initiative (DSCBI), jointly designed and delivered with the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). It translates practical public-sector data science and artificial intelligence experiences into relevant policy, regulatory and institutional lessons.
The three-part series follows a progressive learning pathway:
- Foundation: Establishing a common understanding of responsible AI governance.
- Evidence: Examining practical public-sector experiences and selected case studies from NISR and the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA).
- Application: Helping participants assess institutional readiness, governance arrangements and the responsible implementation of AI within their institutions.
Workshop Overview
The workshop aims to strengthen the capacity of African policymakers, regulators and senior public officials to govern artificial intelligence responsibly and effectively. It will cover public-sector AI opportunities and risks, accountability, data governance, privacy, security, transparency, human oversight and risk-based regulation.
Practical case studies from NISR and RISA will demonstrate how these principles apply throughout the lifecycle of public-sector data and AI projects and help participants identify appropriate actions for their institutions.
Webinar Programme
Webinar 1: AI Governance Foundations
31 August 2026 | 4:00 p.m. CAT
Public-sector AI opportunities and risks; institutional roles and accountability; data governance, privacy, security, transparency and human oversight; risk-based governance frameworks; and a practical AI readiness checklist.
Webinar 2: NISR Case Study
Early September 2026 (date TBC)
A case-based session tracing a selected NISR project from institutional problem and data readiness through solution design, governance safeguards, implementation choices, results and lessons for other public institutions.
Webinar 3: RISA Case Study
Late September 2026 (date TBC)