For entrepreneurs, founders, SMEs, employers and institutional teams
Turn AI into one measurable business result
An eight-week applied AI programme that helps African entrepreneurs, businesses and organisational teams identify a valuable use case, implement a controlled AI-enabled workflow and measure the business result.
Who this programme is for
Built for African businesses of every size
From solo founders to institutional teams and sponsored cohorts — with a path that fits your stage.
Entrepreneurs and Solo Founders
Use AI to research markets, develop offers, create content, manage customers and operate more efficiently.
Micro and Small Businesses
Automate repetitive work, improve customer service, strengthen marketing and make better use of business data.
Growing SMEs
Introduce AI across teams, processes and customer journeys with measurable outcomes and appropriate governance.
Employers and Institutional Teams
Assess workforce readiness, train employee cohorts and implement responsible AI-enabled workflows.
Business Associations and Sponsored Cohorts
Deliver the programme to member businesses through chambers, banks, telecommunications companies, governments and development partners.
Informal businesses and sole traders are welcome — you can participate without formal company registration.
Practical use cases
What could your business improve with AI?
A starting menu of high-value, achievable use cases. Every business selects one based on value, feasibility, risk and data readiness.
- Customer-service assistants
- Sales lead qualification and follow-up
- Marketing content and campaign analysis
- Proposal, report and tender preparation
- Invoice and document processing
- Financial reporting and forecasting
- Inventory and demand planning
- Employee onboarding and internal knowledge assistants
- Business-data analysis and management dashboards
- Agricultural advisory and market-information services
- Appointment, booking and enquiry management
- Workflow automation across existing business systems
Every business will select one use case based on value, feasibility, risk and data readiness — so the eight weeks stay focused on a result you can measure.
The curriculum
Your eight-week transformation journey
Nine structured steps — a readiness diagnostic in Week 0, then one workflow taken from opportunity to a measured, governed result.
- Week 0
Readiness Diagnostic
Assess the organisation's people, processes, data, technology and governance.
Output: AI readiness report.
- Week 1
AI Strategy and Opportunity Discovery
Understand practical AI capabilities, limitations and business opportunities.
Output: AI opportunity map.
- Week 2
Workflow and Process Analysis
Select a business workflow and establish its current cost, time, quality or revenue baseline.
Output: Workflow map and baseline.
- Week 3
Data Readiness and Responsible AI
Review available data, privacy, security, accuracy, bias and human-oversight requirements.
Output: Data and risk assessment.
- Week 4
AI Tools, Prompting and Automation
Build an initial solution using suitable AI, automation or no-code tools.
Output: Working prototype.
- Week 5
Controlled Testing
Test the workflow with appropriate users, data and quality controls.
Output: Controlled pilot and testing record.
- Week 6
Governance and Implementation
Define ownership, permissions, monitoring, escalation and safe-use requirements.
Output: Responsible AI implementation checklist.
- Week 7
Workforce Adoption and Change
Prepare the relevant team, operating procedure and adoption plan.
Output: Workforce adoption plan.
- Week 8
Measure, Demonstrate and Scale
Compare the result with the original baseline and decide whether to scale, revise or stop.
Output: Business transformation case and scale decision.
The transformation journey
From readiness to a result you can defend
Every step produces evidence: a readiness report, use-case canvas, experiment plan, outcome record and responsible-use record.
- 1
Register & diagnose
Complete an AI-readiness diagnostic across data, processes, workforce, governance and technology.
- 2
Baseline
Set a baseline for the chosen workflow — time, cost, error rate, conversion, revenue or service quality.
- 3
Prioritise
Rank use cases by value, feasibility, risk and data-readiness.
- 4
Experiment
Design and test a controlled implementation with security and human oversight.
- 5
Measure
Record the result against your baseline, with confidence and evidence.
- 6
Decide
Scale, revise or stop — through an accountable business owner.
Tools & technology
Learn with relevant, business-ready AI tools
The programme is vendor-neutral. Depending on the approved use case, participants may work with tools such as:
- ChatGPT
- Claude
- Gemini
- Microsoft Copilot
- Google Workspace & Microsoft 365 AI tools
- Zapier or Make
- No-code application platforms
- Dashboarding & business-intelligence tools
Tools used may vary according to the business use case, country, licensing, security requirements and availability. Participants will never be required to upload confidential information into an unapproved public AI system.
What you get
Capability, plus an outcome in production
- An AI-readiness score with a clear rationale and recommended actions.
- A prioritised use-case canvas: problem, workflow, data, benefit, risk and success metric.
- A controlled experiment with data protection, security and human review before go-live.
- An outcome record measuring baseline-to-result change, with documented limitations.
- Employee cohorts — invite, enrol, monitor and export authorised aggregate progress.
- A business transformation case you can present, reuse and build on.
Responsible AI & governance
Adopt AI safely, with human oversight
Data protection & privacy
Review available data, privacy and security before anything is built — with clear rules on what may and may not be shared with AI tools.
Accuracy, bias & oversight
Check for accuracy and bias, and keep a human in the loop. AI supports decisions; accountable people make them.
Ownership & monitoring
Define ownership, permissions, monitoring, escalation and safe-use requirements before a workflow goes live.
We make no unverified earnings, employment or business-result guarantees. Every implementation is controlled, documented and reviewed before it reaches production.
Programme information
How the eight weeks work
- Duration
- Eight weeks
- Delivery
- Online and through approved partner centres
- Format
- Cohort-based
- Support
- Weekly live coaching and implementation clinics
- Expected commitment
- Four to six hours per week
- Prior technical experience
- Not required
- Team participation
- Founders may participate individually; businesses may nominate a small implementation team
- Languages
- English initially, with French, Arabic, Portuguese and selected African-language support introduced progressively
- Internet requirement
- Low-bandwidth learning options available where possible
- Cohort dates
- To be announced
Application deadlines are published with each confirmed cohort. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Completion
What you must complete
- Attend the required programme sessions
- Complete the AI readiness diagnostic
- Select and baseline an appropriate use case
- Build and test a controlled implementation
- Complete the responsible-use review
- Record the measurable outcome
- Present the final transformation case
Your credential
Successful participants will receive an ITSKILLS4AFRICA Certificate in Applied AI for Business and an evidence portfolio documenting their implemented use case.
We do not advertise third-party certification unless a formal certification agreement exists.
Access & sponsorship
Programme access and sponsorship
Access options are subject to management approval and confirmed cohort funding.
- Sponsored places may be available to eligible African entrepreneurs and micro or small businesses through Project 10 Million partners.
- Business associations, governments, banks, telecommunications companies and development organisations may sponsor cohorts.
- Larger employers may commission private workforce cohorts.
- Any software subscriptions or implementation costs not included in the programme are disclosed before enrolment.
We do not describe any cohort as “completely free” unless funding for that cohort has been confirmed.
After the programme
Support beyond the eight weeks
- Thirty- and ninety-day implementation check-ins
- Alumni business community
- Mentor and expert office hours
- Referrals to advanced AI Builders training
- Technical implementation-partner referrals
- Founder Track and venture-readiness referrals
- Opportunities to become an approved impact case study
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply?
Entrepreneurs, founders, SMEs, employers and institutional teams operating in Africa. Informal businesses and sole traders are welcome.
Can informal businesses and sole traders participate?
Yes. You can take part without formal company registration.
Do I need technical or coding experience?
No. The programme is designed for business people — no prior technical experience is required.
Is the programme free?
Sponsored places may be available through Project 10 Million partners. We only describe a cohort as free once its funding is confirmed. Any software subscriptions or implementation costs not included are disclosed before enrolment.
What is the weekly time commitment?
About four to six hours per week for eight weeks, including live coaching and clinics.
Can several employees participate?
Yes. Founders may join individually, and businesses may nominate a small implementation team.
Are sessions recorded?
Live coaching and clinics are typically recorded so you can catch up, and low-bandwidth options are provided where possible.
Which AI tools will be used?
The programme is vendor-neutral. Depending on your approved use case you may work with tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Google/Microsoft AI tools, Zapier or Make, no-code platforms and BI/dashboard tools.
How will business data be protected?
Week 3 covers data readiness, privacy, security, accuracy, bias and human oversight. You will never be required to upload confidential information into an unapproved public AI system.
What credential will I receive?
Successful participants receive an ITSKILLS4AFRICA Certificate in Applied AI for Business and an evidence portfolio documenting their implemented use case. We do not advertise third-party certification unless a formal agreement exists.
What happens after the eight-week programme?
Thirty- and ninety-day check-ins, an alumni community, mentor office hours, and referrals to AI Builders, Founder Track and implementation partners.
Is the programme available across Africa?
Online participation is open across Africa, with local delivery through approved partner centres as they become ready. Full production deployment is not guaranteed in every country yet.
Apply
Apply for AI for Business
Tell us about your organisation and where AI could help most. Your African region is set automatically from your country.
- Acknowledgement within one working day.
- No unverified earnings, certification or business-result guarantees.
- Your data is minimised and used only for delivery and approved reporting.
Already enrolled?
Open the business portal to run your readiness diagnostic, manage your use case and track your team's adoption.