Innovation in Africa for Industry 4.0: AI, Data Analytics and Digital Transformation

Abejide Ade-Ibijolais an academic who exemplifies the rare ability to translate theory into practice, research into product development, and innovation into commercialization and societal impact. Through a proven record of excellence, he has demonstrated how advanced artificial intelligence research can be transformed into tangible tools, sustainable enterprises, and public-good technologies. He currently serves as Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Applications at the Johannesburg Business School (JBS), University of Johannesburg, where he leads pioneering initiatives that bridge artificial intelligence, education, and innovation for societal transformation. He is the Founder and Chairman of GRIT Lab Africa NPC, a pan-African non-profit dedicated to training young people across Africa in programming, grit, and entrepreneurship. Recognised globally as one of Africa’s leading AI scholars, Professor Ade-Ibijola is ranked number one by Google Search as Africa’s Top Professor of Artificial Intelligence. He is an NRF-rated researcher, a two-time recipient of the Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Awards, and his profile is decorated with over 100 awards and recognitions. In 2025, he was appointed as the resource person to ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) on the use of big data and AI for regional development of 15 African countries; a strategy sponsored by the World Bank.

Solomon Oyelereis an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Exeter, and a leading expert in pervasive and mobile computing, computer science education and Human-centered AI. Before joining University of Exeter, he was an Associate Professor in Pervasive and Mobile Computing at Luleå University of Technology, Sweden. He has also worked as a Postdoctoral researcher in the School of Computing, University of Eastern Finland, where he was a Principal investigator on a large-scale EU, Latin American and Caribbean project for the development of smart ecosystem for learning and inclusion.

Jude Odiakaosa Osakweis an Associate Professor in the Department of Informatics at Namibia University of Science and Technology, where he has served since November 2018. With over two decades of academic experience, Prof. Osakwe holds a PhD in Informatics and has established himself as a leading scholar in digital transformation and information systems. His research expertise spans ICT in Education, Digital Health, Big Data Analytics, Data Governance, E-Government, Business Intelligence, and Cybersecurity. He has supervised numerous postgraduate students across Honours, Masters, and Doctoral levels, demonstrating exceptional commitment to nurturing emerging scholars. Prof. Osakwe has chaired multiple International Conferences on Information Systems and Emerging Technologies.His scholarly contributions include three book chapters, over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles, and more than 60 international and national conference publications. He has examined numerous doctoral and masters theses for institutions across Africa. Prof. Osakwe coordinates the Faculty Postgraduate Seminar and serves on key research committees, actively contributing to curriculum development and community service initiatives that advance digital innovation in developing nations.