“Africa claims its rightful place at the Nairobi Semiconductor Investors Forum” By Dr Williams Makwinja and Taurai Chiraerae
Nairobi, Kenya Africa took a decisive step toward reshaping its role in the global technology economy at the inaugural, “Africa Semiconductor Investors Forum”, held from April 20 to 22, 2026. Convened by AUDA‑NEPAD and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), the gathering signaled a strategic shift: the continent intends to move from exporting raw minerals to participating meaningfully in the semiconductor value chain. Framed under the theme “From the Ground Up: Africa’s Minerals‑to‑Microchips Moment,” the Forum arrived at a time when global supply chains are being reconfigured. The COVID‑19 pandemic, the tariffs and the ongoing war in the Golfe exposed the fragility of concentrated chip manufacturing hubs, prompting governments and corporations to seek new, diversified production bases. Africa’s leaders believe the continent can fill part of that gap, if it builds the right capabilities.
A New Institutional Architecture for a New Industrial Era. One of the Forum’s most significant outcomes was the establishment of the Africa Semiconductor Technical Advisory Group (ASTAG), a body tasked with steering the continent’s semiconductor roadmap. Although not finalized, ASTAG will be a diverse group from all the RECs with a gender balance. Already Dr. William Makwinja of CAISD is part of the developing group. Delegates also launched the African Research and Technology Organizations Alliance (ARTOA) to coordinate applied research and technology localization under the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Momentum will continue with the next Africa Semiconductor Conference, scheduled for November/December 2026 in South Africa.
In picture: CAISD’s Dr William Makwinja attending the Nairobi Forum
Speakers emphasized that Africa already holds the essential ingredients for a semiconductor industry:
- Critical minerals used in chipmaking
- A rapidly expanding consumer and industrial market
- A young, trainable talent base.
What is missing is a structured investment framework to connect these assets.
AUDA‑NEPAD presented data showing that rising mobile penetration, IoT deployment, and automotive electronics are transforming Africa’s 1.5‑billion‑person population into a powerful demand‑pull market. One example is the continent’s $1‑billion‑a‑year smart‑meter market, currently dominated by imports. Panelists argued that targeted procurement policies such as local content requirements could shift this demand toward domestic manufacturers.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)was repeatedly cited as a game‑changer. By harmonizing regulations and reducing tariffs across 54 countries, AfCFTA effectively creates a unified $3.4 trillion market, dramatically improving the commercial viability of local electronics manufacturing.
Finding Africa’s Entry Points in the Semiconductor Value Chain
Experts agreed that Africa’s most realistic starting point lies not in advanced wafer fabrication but in mineral processing and value addition. Egypt’s success in producing metallurgical‑grade silicon was highlighted as proof of feasibility. The Forum recommended negotiating offtake agreements with global semiconductor chemical companies to build joint ventures in mineral processing. This would allow African countries to move gradually up the value chain.
Practical examples already exist. “Gearbox”, a Kenyan engineering firm, secured a partnership with Europlacer after demonstrating strong local SMT (surface mount technology) capabilities, showing that competence can reduce risk for international partners.
Africa’s talent bottleneck is not simply a shortage of engineers but a systemic gap spanning technicians, process engineers, chip designers, and materials scientists. A critical weakness lies in foundational mathematics, especially numerical linear algebra, computational simulation, and high‑performance computing.
To address this, the Forum endorsed several initiatives:
- Leveraging Washington Accord accreditation in South Africa and Kenya to enhance global mobility for engineering graduates.
- Expanding RISC‑V chip design training, including programs at Lund University (Sweden) and a new master’s program in Nairobi with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
- Strengthening Africa‑to‑Africa academic collaboration to share laboratory infrastructure.
- Scaling training models like Semiconductor Technologies Limited (STL), which works directly with global chipmakers to define the exact skills required for employability.
Financing: The Hardest Barrier
Financial institutions, including the AfDB and AfreximBank, stressed that blended finance can only support projects that are already commercially sound. It cannot rescue weak business models. To attract investment, projects must demonstrate:
- Clear market demand
- Credible cost structures
- Technically competent operators
The Forum concluded that Africa must first prove viability in mineral processing and chip design before attempting to raise capital for multi‑billion‑dollar fabrication plants. A major recommendation was the creation of a project preparation facility to transform 10–15 early‑stage concepts into bankable projects within 24 months.
The Center of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development CAISD argued that AI must be embedded at the core of Africa’s semiconductor strategy. AI is both a “demand driver”, powering applications in agriculture, health, and smart grids and a design tool, with generative AI lowering barriers to chip design and verification. This dual role could allow African firms to leapfrog into high‑value segments of the semiconductor industry.
The Forum ended with a clear, ambitious target that, by 2034, Africa should have a commercially viable semiconductor sector integrated into its manufacturing value chain. With the establishment of ASTAG, new training pipelines, and early commercial agreements such as the MOU between Semiconductor Technologies Limited and ChipMango, the continent has laid the institutional groundwork for a new industrial chapter. Whether Africa can seize this moment will depend on sustained coordination, disciplined execution, and the ability to convert its mineral wealth into technological sovereignty.
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