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The African Artificial Intelligence (AI) Community unites in Johannesburg for Applied Machine Learning Days (AMLD) Africa 2026 at Witwatersrand University

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AMLD

AMLD Africa recently launched ‘Node by AMLD’, a new initiative establishing student-led AI clubs across African Universities

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, January 16, 2026/APO Group/ –Applied Machine Learning Days (AMLD) Africa (https://MLAfrica.org) returns with its most ambitious edition yet at Witwatersrand University (Wits) in Johannesburg.

The continent’s AI community will gather in Johannesburg for four days, bringing together top minds in AI from across the continent and the globe. From global researchers and emerging youth talent to industry pioneers, AMLD Africa will showcase the spectrum of Africa’s AI ecosystem.

This edition continues a legacy of excellence, built by previous speakers including Yoshua Bengio (Godfather of AI), Karim Beguir (InstaDeep, co-founder); as well as senior leaders from Oracle, IBM, OCP, Novartis, EUCO, etc. The 2024 edition in USIU Africa, Nairobi, drew 1’600+ participants with high-caliber speakers, including  Prof. Annie Hartley, MD, Darlington Akogo, and Vukosi Marivate.

Confirmed Keynotes for this edition include:

  • Priya Donti (TimeAI 100),
  • Tom Lawry (Ex-Director at Microsoft and best-selling author),
  • Jade Abbott (CTO, LelapaAI),
  • Kabelo Makwane (Country Director, Google South Africa), and
  • Samuel Segun (Senior Researcher, Global Center on AI Governance).

 

Joining the lineup of distinguished speakers are Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and UN Under-Secretary-General; Prof. Benjamin Rosman, featured in TIME’s AI 100 list; Dr. Lily Paemka, Deputy Director of WAGMC; and Dr. Mihir PatelMD, Chief Visionary Officer at Ospitek Inc.

The 2026 edition will feature thematic tracks across Healthcare, Sustainability, Economic Empowerment, Cultural Preservation, Ethics, and Governance, with keynotes, workshops, and exhibitions to spotlight local innovation. View the AMLD Africa 2026 trailer here (https://apo-opa.co/4sI8hKv).

This year’s program kicks off with a dedicated ‘Day 0 – Startups and Communities’, spotlighting local innovators and grassroots AI communities across the continent.

AMLD Africa celebrates the continent’s diversity not just in geography, but in ideas, voices, and vision. From North to South, East to West, it is where Ubuntu meets AI: a space where local realities inspire global solutions, and Africa’s young talent leads the way in shaping a sovereign future, hand in hand.

A conference, a community, a pan-African movement

AMLD Africa is a yearly gathering. It is a platform to build Africa’s AI future, grounded in the belief that AI should be free, inclusive, and community-led.

Rooted in the spirit of “Think globally, act locally”, the AMLD Africa Ambassador Program now spans over 20 African countries. This year, it will power live broadcasts of the conference across 20+ universities, engaging 500+ participants in local hubs. Led by Students and Professors, these satellite events extend AMLD Africa’s reach beyond South Africa.

AMLD Africa recently launched ‘Node by AMLD’a new initiative establishing student-led AI clubs across African Universities. With chapters already active in Zimbabwe, Benin, Nigeria, and Madagascar, the network is rapidly expanding, creating local spaces for innovation, collaboration, and community building.

Partners & supporters

AMLD Africa proudly announces support from:

  • Google (Gold sponsor)
  • Schmidt Sciences (Gold sponsor)
  • Swiss Embassy in South Africa (Silver sponsor)
  • Digital Umuganda (Silver sponsor)
  • Masakhane Language Hub (Silver sponsor)
  • Turkish Airlines (Travel partner)

 

AMLD Africa is also supported by Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) through the Excellence in Africa (EXAF) lab.

Join the Movement

AMLD Africa is for you if you’re a company looking to connect with AI talent, a policymaker shaping the digital future, or a student passionate about machine learning.

 

Join us and let us shape the future of AI in Africa together.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AMLD Africa.

 

Business

Canada–Africa Financing Forum to Convene Investors and Decision-Makers in Cape Town – May 14, 2026

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Ateau Zola

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships

TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.

Registration is open (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.

Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.

This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation

“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”

The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.

Why Attend

  • Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
  • Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
  • Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
  • Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution

Secure Your Place

Space is limited and demand is strong.

Apply to secure your place (http://apo-opa.co/4vXb9oz)

Read More and View the Program (http://apo-opa.co/4vZN6oV)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

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Business

ORUN and 1xBET Partner to Support a Dynamic Creative Africa

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MIR Holding

During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.

We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency

Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.

“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).

 

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MIR Holding Reaffirms Its Commitment to African Creative Industries Alongside ORUN at Marché des Arts du Spectacle Africain d’Abidjan (MASA) 2026

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MIR Holding

More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.

 

Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.

At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains

Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.

By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.

“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.

Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.

 

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