African organisations are rapidly embracing artificial intelligence (AI), but most are still struggling to convert early experimentation into large-scale business transformation and measurable financial returns, according to a new analysis by the audit, advisory and tax firm PwC. The analysis, released on Friday, May 15, draws on the report Decoding Return on Investment (ROI) from AI in Africa, which found that while 82 per cent of organisations across the continent are currently running AI pilots, many remain stuck at the experimentation stage without scaling AI across their operations. ALSO READ: Seven ways AI changed everything in 2025 PwC says this reflects a widening gap between ambition and execution, with African firms investing less in AI than global tech leaders. On average, organisations in Africa allocate just 2 per cent of revenue to AI, compared with 5 per cent among leading companies. Only 32 per cent of African organisations believe their current level of investment is sufficient to meet their AI objectives. Despite the slow scale-up, the firm notes that organisations classified as “AI-fit” generate 7.2 times higher AI-driven performance than their peers, underscoring the impact of moving beyond isolated pilots to enterprise-wide adoption. The firm argues that many African businesses are still using AI mainly to cut costs and improve productivity, while global leaders are increasingly deploying it to drive revenue growth, redesign business models and expand into new markets. According to Dion Shango, PwC Africa CEO, Africa’s challenge is both adopting AI at scale and implementing it fast enough to remain competitive. ALSO READ: Rwanda to develop 50 AI tools across various sectors: official “While more than 82 per cent of organisations are running AI pilots, this is not yet translating into enterprise-wide impact. The organisations that will win are not those running the most pilots, but those that scale the right AI to transform how they create value,” he added. PwC warns that treating AI as isolated experiments limits its impact, turning what should be a transformational tool into incremental efficiency gains rather than a driver of long-term growth. The report also identifies industry convergence, where AI is used across sectors to solve shared challenges such as financial inclusion, healthcare and energy access as one of Africa’s most underutilised opportunities. However, PwC cautions that scaling AI across organisations will depend heavily on strong foundations, including trusted data systems, modern digital infrastructure, clear governance frameworks and access to AI talent. Weaknesses in these areas continue to slow progress. The report also indicates that about 64 per cent of employees across African organisations are already using AI in their roles, suggesting strong readiness at staff level, even as leadership and systems lag. “The workforce is ahead of the organisation in many cases,” the report reads. “Employees are ready to use AI, but leaders are still building trust in AI-driven decisions. Bridging that gap is critical to scaling adoption. The strategic choice is clear: use AI to defend today’s margins, or to shape tomorrow’s markets.”
