Nairobi — The Eswatini Standards Authority (ESWASA) and AICE Africa have launched an artificial intelligence (AI) Safety and Standards Centre of Excellence aimed at building Africa’s capacity to assess, govern and certify AI systems.
The center, launched in Mbabane on October 27, will develop technical skills, support businesses and public institutions in AI adoption and establish a proposed research and testing laboratory to evaluate AI systems against local conditions.
The initiative comes as governments and businesses increasingly integrate AI into public services and commercial operations, raising questions around data protection, reliability, accountability and the risks associated with automated decision-making.
Under the partnership, ESWASA will provide institutional leadership, standards expertise and national coordination, while AICE Africa will contribute AI governance expertise, technical implementation, programme development and skills transfer.
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“As AI becomes part of how businesses and public services operate, standards bodies must be able to assess it,” said Ncamiso Mhlanga, Executive Director of ESWASA.
“We are starting with our own internal transformation and developing the people who will carry this work forward.”
The center will initially focus on transforming ESWASA’s internal operations before expanding into professional training, industry services and regional cooperation.
A key component of the initiative is EswasaOne, an AI platform being developed to integrate standards information, certification and inspection workflows, as well as institutional management processes.
The platform is expected to incorporate a conversational interface and automated workflows to improve access to standards information and streamline institutional operations.
AICE Africa Chief Executive Officer John Kamara said the initiative seeks to reduce Africa’s reliance on external institutions for evaluating AI technologies deployed on the continent.
“AI sovereignty requires institutions that can evaluate, govern and improve the systems they depend on,” said Kamara.
“Our role is to build that capability with ESWASA through technical implementation, governance and skills transfer.”
The proposed research and testing laboratory will assess AI systems against recognised international standards while accounting for African languages, datasets, infrastructure and social conditions.
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The centre plans to draw on ISO/IEC 42001, which provides requirements for AI management systems, and ISO/IEC 23894, which offers guidance on AI risk management.
The partners also intend to develop practitioner training for standards officers, auditors, regulators and technical personnel, with universities and training institutions expected to support research and professional development.
The initiative will also explore certification services, although these will depend on the development of validated assessment methods, qualified personnel and appropriate accreditation arrangements.
The partners plan to host an AI Safety and Standards Summit in Mbabane in July 2027 to advance regional cooperation.
