Africa’s Tech Surge: Cloud & AI Dominate 2025 Landscape

Africa is entering a new phase of digital transformation, with cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) emerging as the dominant technology platforms in 2025. According to the CIO100 Megatrends 2025 report by CIO Africa, 61 % of organisations across Sub-Saharan Africa are now using cloud services, while 55 % have adopted some form of AI.
Other technologies — analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing — are rapidly advancing, particularly in sectors like finance, government, education and manufacturing. For example, smart city frameworks using 5G and IoT are being piloted in major African cities.
Start-ups are riding this wave too: African start-ups raised over US $1 billion in the first half of 2025, ahead of same period in 2024.
Why it matters:

Africa is shifting from digital experimentation to strategic deployment — meaning tech is becoming integral to business & government operations.

With cloud/AI adoption growing, local innovation ecosystems (start-ups, scale-ups) can capture more value rather than being mere users of foreign tech.

For Uganda, and for your audience at The Urban Gazette, this means major opportunities: talent development, job creation in tech, new digital services, and business transformation.