Deep Learning Indaba @DeepIndaba

Community Showcase: Mauritanian Women in Machine Learning 🇲🇷✨ Empowering women, advancing AI, and solving local challenges through innovation! Mauritanian Women in Machine Learning (MWiML) is a growing community dedicated to increasing women's participation in artificial intelligence while building an inclusive and supportive technology ecosystem in Mauritania and beyond. Through webinars, bootcamps, and research initiatives, they are equipping women with core skills in NLP, computer vision, and deep learning. One of their flagship initiatives, Health Voice, beautifully highlights this commitment to social impact. The project aims to bridge language barriers in healthcare by enabling real-time transcription and translation between Mauritania’s national languages and those used by healthcare professionals. Beyond technical training, MWiML continues to champion women in STEM through expert-led mentorship and advocacy that inspires the next generation of leadership. Watch their community showcase to see how they are creating opportunities, amplifying voices, and shaping the future of AI in Mauritania. Join the conversation from anywhere! Virtual Indaba: Registrations are open to join #DLI2026 virtually! Secure your pass here 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Virtual Indaba 2026: 50% Student Discount Now Available Registrations remain open for the Virtual Indaba 2026. This online format is designed to make the annual event accessible to everyone, regardless of geographic location. To further reduce barriers to participation for the next generation of researchers, we are pleased to offer a 50% discount on registration fees for all students. If you cannot join us in person in Lagos, Nigeria, the Virtual Indaba allows you to engage with the tutorials, keynotes, and community from your home or office. It is through this virtual space that the Indaba expands beyond a single venue into a pan-African dialogue. Secure your place for the Virtual Indaba: deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Continuing our speaker announcements for Deep Learning Indaba 2026 🔥 We're delighted to welcome Prof. Karim Lekadir @KarimLekadir as an invited speaker! Prof. Lekadir is an ICREA Research Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Universitat de Barcelona @UniBarcelona, where he directs the @BCN_AIM. His work focuses on new data science techniques for trustworthy and ethical artificial intelligence in medicine. He obtained his PhD from Imperial College London and was a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University. He is the lead author of the FUTURE-AI international guideline for trustworthy AI in healthcare, served as General Chair of the first MICCAI conference held in Africa, and is a co-founder of the African Network for AI in Biomedical Imaging. He coordinates AFRICAI-RI, EDCTP project building a pan-African infrastructure for biomedical imaging, and is PI of the ERC Consolidator Grant AIMIX, which develops AI methods for accessible medical imaging in low-resource settings. His talk is titled "Trustworthy AI Starts with People: Lessons from Healthcare AI in Africa and Beyond." Welcome on board, Prof. Lekadir! Virtual Indaba: Registrations still open: deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026

Virtual Indaba 2026: Accessible Learning A reminder that registrations for the Virtual Indaba 2026 are open, and we welcome your participation. The Virtual Indaba ensures that anyone across the continent and beyond can join the conversation. Whether you are unable to travel to Lagos, prefer to participate remotely, or are interested in exploring what the Indaba offers, this format provides full access. It remains a vital part of our gathering, turning the annual event into a truly continental conversation. Register for the Virtual Indaba: deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Community Showcase: Maseno Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence (MCAAI) @mcaai_msu 🔥 Harnessing AI to solve local challenges and create global impact! Based at Maseno University in Kenya, the Maseno Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence (MCAAI) is advancing multidisciplinary research that transforms communities through AI, machine learning, and data science. From pioneering work in low-resource machine translation, speech recognition, and AI for Kenyan Sign Language (AI4KSL), to projects like AfriVoices-KE and SureFood, they are building tech that addresses real-world challenges across Africa. 🇰🇪 Their impact goes far beyond the lab. Through mentorship programs, hackathons, and upskilling initiatives, MCAAI is actively nurturing the next generation of AI talent, including hosting IndabaX Kenya last year, which brought together over 350 participants. Their research excellence speaks for itself, with community members earning prestigious accolades like the Google PhD Fellowship and the Allele Williams Award at the Deep Learning Indaba. Watch their community showcase to see how MCAAI is driving community-centred AI innovation from Kenya to the world. Virtual Indaba: Registrations are open to join #DLI2026 virtually! 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Next in our keynote announcements for #DLI2026, we're excited to welcome Prof. Vukosi Marivate @vukosi to the stage in Lagos, Nigeria! Prof. Marivate is Director of the African Institute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI), the ABSA UP Chair of Data Science and Professor of Computer Science at @UPTuks, where he leads the @DSFSI_Research group. His research sits at the intersection of machine learning, artificial intelligence and natural language processing, with a particular focus on African and other low-resource languages. He co-founded @LelapaAI, the @MasakhaneNLP and the @DeepIndaba. His keynote is titled "What Do Our Benchmarks Actually Measure? Evaluation Challenges for African Language AI" Over the past decade, research on African languages in natural language processing and speech technologies has accelerated. New datasets, multilingual models and collaborative research initiatives have delivered measurable gains across machine translation, automatic speech recognition and language modelling, showing that progress for historically under-resourced languages is both possible and increasingly visible. Yet as the field begins to envision supporting thousands of the world's languages, a critical question emerges. How should progress actually be measured? Many current benchmarks were designed for well-resourced languages and assume standardised text, stable orthographies and abundant labelled data. Applied to African and other Indigenous languages, they often capture only a narrow slice of linguistic reality while privileging what is easiest to measure. This keynote explores the growing gap between advances in language modelling and the methods used to evaluate them, and argues that rethinking evaluation is essential for truly multilingual AI. Moving forward, evaluation frameworks must better reflect linguistic diversity, community priorities and the complex sociotechnical contexts in which these languages are used. Prof. Marivate holds a PhD in Computer Science from Rutgers University, and an MSc and BSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand. He was recently honoured with the Order of Mapungubwe (Silver), one of South Africa's highest national awards, for his contributions to artificial intelligence and computer science. He also serves on the @UN Independent Scientific Panel on AI and the African AI Council at Smart Africa. Welcome on board, Prof. Marivate! Virtual Indaba: Registrations still open: deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Community Showcase: @ml_collective Africa 🔥 Building world-class AI research from Africa, for the world! ML Collective Africa is a pan-African research community empowering the next generation of African AI researchers through mentorship, paper reading groups, and collaborative projects. From publishing at top-tier venues like NeurIPS, ICML, ACL, EMNLP, AAAI, and MICCAI, to securing prestigious global fellowships, their members are making remarkable contributions to the global AI landscape. Their impact goes far beyond peer review. Through active grassroots fundraising, they have continuously supported members to attend multiple Deep Learning Indaba conferences while fostering deep collaborations with vital ecosystem partners like @MasakhaneNLP and @tonative_org . They are proving that Africa is a key creator and leader in the future of intelligence. Watch their community showcase to see how collaboration, curiosity, and research excellence are shaping the continent's tech ecosystem. Join the conversation from anywhere! While in-person registrations for Lagos are closed, you can still experience the magic, keynotes, and deep learning sessions of the Indaba online. 💻 Virtual Indaba: Registrations are open to join #DLI2026 virtually! Secure your pass here 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Community Showcase: @wimlds_Yaounde 🇨🇲✨ Empowering women and girls in AI across Cameroon! Since 2020, the Yaoundé chapter of the global (WiMLDS) Women in Machine Learning & Data Science @wimlds network has been making data science and AI accessible through technical workshops, hackathons, and dedicated mentorship. WiMLDS Yaoundé est engagée dans la vulgarisation de l'intelligence artificielle au Cameroun. À travers l'organisation de nombreux ateliers techniques, conférences et panels, la communauté relève ce défi au quotidien et continue de bâtir l'avenir en formant les nouvelles volontaires qui constitueront la relève de demain. Join the conversation from anywhere! While in-person registrations for Lagos have now closed, you can still experience the magic, keynotes, and deep learning sessions of the Indaba online. Secure your pass here 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

We're delighted to welcome Dr. Catherine Nakalembe @CLNakalembe as a keynote speaker at this year's Deep Learning Indaba in Lagos, Nigeria! Dr Nakalembe is an Assistant Professor of Geospatial AI at the University of Maryland @UofMaryland, founder of The Xylem Lab and The Xylem Institute, and Africa Lead for NASA Harvest. Her keynote is titled "Translational GeoAI Science is An African Imperative." Africa stands at a unique inflection point, home to the world's fastest-growing population, its youngest workforce, and some of its most acute development challenges, yet increasingly rich in satellite imagery, mobile data, and earth observation infrastructure. Artificial Intelligence applied to geospatial data (GeoAI) holds transformative potential for the African continent. From mapping informal settlements and monitoring crop failure to tracking deforestation and issuing early warnings of extreme events, including cyclones and landslides. Yet a persistent and costly gap persists between cutting-edge GeoAI models, largely developed in the Global North, and their deployment in Africa. This presentation introduces Translational GeoAI Science as a systematic discipline designed to bridge this gap on African terms. Dr Nakalembe holds a PhD in Geographical Science from the University of Maryland, an MS in Geography and Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, and a BSc in Environmental Science from Makerere University, Uganda. Her honours include the Al Sumait Prize, Uganda's Golden Jubilee Medal, the Africa Food Prize, and a GEO Individual Excellence Award. She is a TED Fellow, a National Geographic Explorer, and a MacArthur Foundation/Op-Ed Public Voices Fellow. Welcome on board, Dr Nakalembe! Virtual Indaba: Registrations still open 👉deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Virtual Indaba 2026 ✨ A reminder that registrations for the Virtual Indaba 2026 are open, and we'd love for you to be part of it. The Virtual Indaba is our way of making sure that anyone, anywhere on the continent (and beyond), can join the conversation. Whether you're unable to travel to Lagos, prefer to participate from home, or are simply curious about what the Indaba is all about, this is your way in. The Virtual Indaba has always been one of our favourite parts of the gathering. It is where the Indaba truly becomes a continental conversation rather than a single room in one city. Register for the Virtual Indaba: 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… Still hoping to join us in Lagos? In-person registration is also open through the Ticket Lottery (paid): 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/applicati… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

🪘 The 2025 Impact Report is here! 🪘 Our last Indaba’s theme: Urunana (Kinyarwanda for "Hand in Hand") — beautifully reflected our mission: shaping the future of AI on the continent through solidarity, cooperation, and shared responsibility. In this report, we mark a deliberate shift to an impact-first lens, highlighting 6 key impact areas where we are enabling long-term, systemic change across Africa’s AI ecosystem. As the community matures, our priority moves from growth to optimisation at scale, deepening our impact to ensure no one is left behind in the digital transformation of Africa. We are deeply grateful to all our funders, partners, and volunteers whose continued support makes this work possible, and we thank you for your ongoing commitment to this shared journey. Dive into the full report to see how we are moving forward, hand in hand:👉 deeplearningindaba.com/blog/2026/05/d… #DLI2025 #Urunana

Community Showcase: @AiEswatini 🇸🇿✨ From community learnathons to international innovation stages, AI Eswatini is building a vibrant, forward-thinking AI ecosystem in the Kingdom of Eswatini and beyond. In just one year, this community has reached over 600 beneficiaries through workshops, hackathons, and collaborative projects tackling local challenges in agriculture, healthcare, and cybersecurity. Their members are proving that the future of African AI is being built everywhere, earning recognition like the SATNAC Grand Innovation Prize and contributing to global policy through the Y20 and Chatham House. They are a powerful example of what happens when students, researchers, and professionals come together to ensure their country isn't just consuming AI, but actively creating it. Watch their community showcase to see how they are driving innovation from the heart of Southern Africa. You can still secure your spot to connect with groups like AI Eswatini at the Indaba this August: In-Person Ticket Lottery (paid, closes 30 May): 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/Applicati… Virtual Indaba registration: 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Connecting Emerging AI Ecosystems Across Africa ✨ For #DLI2026, we want to ensure that our gathering in Lagos is a true representation of the entire continent. Because of this, we are making an intentional effort to connect with, listen to, and amplify AI communities from countries often underrepresented in the global AI conversation. We want to hear about your journey, the local solutions you're building, and the barriers you face in sustaining a community. If you are part of an AI community in any of the countries listed below, or know individuals doing grassroots tech work there, please complete the form, or share it with someone who should: 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 🇹🇩 Chad | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 🇱🇾 Libya | 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe | 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 🇸🇸 South Sudan | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde Selected participants may have the opportunity to attend #DLI2026 in person and share their experiences with the wider Indaba community. Every response, whether or not it leads to selection, helps shape how the Indaba reaches communities across the continent. Please complete the form by 29 May 2026 (AoE): 👉 docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

📢 Call for Reviewers 📢 We are calling on Professors, senior academics, active researchers, and PhD or MSc holders to join the Indaba 2026 reviewer pool! Reviewing is a vital opportunity to shape the quality of work presented, give back to the community, and gain behind-the-scenes insights into the academic publication process. By joining our reviewer pool, you play a direct role in elevating and strengthening the African AI research ecosystem. Who we are looking for: ◆ Professors & Senior Academics willing to share their invaluable expertise. ◆ Active Researchers looking to stay ahead of the latest trends. ◆ PhD students and MSc Holders eager to contribute and sharpen their peer-review skills. Reviewer panels are being allocated now. Register today to help us showcase the best of African AI research! 👉 docs.google.com/forms/d/1ezBxv… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Community Showcase: @tonative_org ✨ What happens when native speakers, researchers, engineers, and linguists come together to shape the future of African AI? You get Tonative. From contributing African languages to global benchmarks like Global PIQA and XNLI, to building tools like VOLANG (a real-time speech-to-speech translation tool), they are ensuring African languages are represented accurately, authentically, and inclusively in modern AI systems. Their community-driven approach puts native speakers at the centre of dataset validation and evaluation, creating AI that truly sounds like us. Beyond research, their contributions at NeurIPS, CHI, and the Deep Learning Indaba are advancing language technology across the continent. Watch their community showcase to see how they are building sovereign AI for African languages and cultures. Join #DLI2026 In-Person Registration: Still open through the Ticket Lottery (paid) until 30 May 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/Applicati… Virtual Indaba: Registrations are open to join #DLI2026 online! 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026