Côte d’Ivoire has awarded excellence scholarships in artificial intelligence to 12 students as the government seeks to strengthen the country’s pool of digital talent and prepare young people for the jobs of the future.

The students received the scholarships during the official opening of the second edition of IMPACT IA, the national conference on artificial intelligence, held on Thursday in Abidjan under the patronage of Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé.

The government also presented the 12 recipients with high-performance computers adapted for artificial intelligence, providing them with equipment to support their studies and training.

The initiative reflects Côte d’Ivoire’s broader efforts to develop the skills and infrastructure needed to build a national AI ecosystem. Prime Minister Mambé said the country wants to develop the ability to understand, master, adapt and use artificial intelligence to address its own economic and social priorities.

He called for AI to be used to improve public administration, increase the competitiveness of key economic sectors, raise agricultural productivity, strengthen healthcare and better prepare young people for future professions.

Digital Transition and Technological Innovation Minister Djibril Ouattara said the government’s objective was to move beyond an AI strategy and identify practical applications based on the country’s real needs.

The IMPACT IA 2026 conference, running from Sept. 9 to 11, brings together government officials, businesses, researchers and technical and financial partners under the theme “From Vision to Use Cases: Structuring National AI to Solve Our Priority Challenges.”

The scholarships are part of Côte d’Ivoire’s efforts to develop the human capital needed to support the country’s digital transformation and strengthen its position in the rapidly developing artificial intelligence sector.