SAP Partners with Smart Africa at GITEX Africa 2026 to Drive AI, Data Integration
Casablanca – SAP has officially joined Smart Africa, formalizing a partnership aimed at accelerating digital transformation efforts across the continent, the company announced during a signing ceremony held today at GITEX Africa 2026 in Marrakech.
The move brings the global software company into an alliance that already includes more than 40 African countries, international organizations, and private sector partners working toward a single digital market by 2030.
Launched in 2013, Smart Africa has positioned itself as one of the continent’s main coordination platforms for digital integration. Under the new agreement, SAP said it will support the alliance’s priorities around data governance, digital maturity, and the use of artificial intelligence in both public and private sector transformation projects.
Lacina Koné, chief executive of Smart Africa, said the partnership opens a new phase in the alliance’s work with global technology players, with a focus on faster execution, stronger governance frameworks, and AI-led transformation.
For SAP, the deal also extends its “All-in on AI” strategy in Africa. Emmanuel Lempert, head of advanced engagements and MEA at SAP Global Government Affairs, said the company wants to connect global cloud innovation with local sovereignty so African institutions can shape digital trends rather than simply adopt them.
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A big part of the collaboration will center on bringing together enterprise applications, data, and AI tools to help organizations run operations more efficiently. SAP said this should help institutions anticipate disruptions, strengthen resilience, and make faster decisions, particularly in supply chain management, where reliable data remains critical.
The company said its work under the alliance will also prioritize sectors tied closely to Africa’s development, including healthcare, infrastructure, and education. In those areas, SAP plans to deploy solutions focused on traceability, operational visibility, and modernized management systems, with data playing a larger role in decision-making.
Alongside the technology partnership, SAP is also expanding its talent development efforts through its Young Professionals Program in Francophone Africa, which trains young people in business processes, SAP certifications, data, and artificial intelligence. The company said the aim is to build a stronger pipeline of skilled professionals able to support organizations adapting to a rapidly changing digital economy.
Hicham Iraqi Houssaini, managing director of SAP Francophone Africa, said the company’s participation reflects a cooperative approach built around both public and private stakeholders across the continent.
This year’s GITEX Africa Morocco centered on the country’s push to turn the event into a launchpad for continent-wide digital integration, with major announcements spanning AI partnerships, private industrial 5G, cross-border data governance, and startup investments.
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