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Africa’s Digital Renaissance for Sustainable Development

by Dr. Bienvenu Agbokponto Soglo on

Blacklin Associate’s VP for Technology, Policy & Innovation, Dr. Bienvenu Soglo, contributed to Africa ONE Voice by the ONE organization ahead of the G20 Summit in South Africa. In this piece, he explores the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data governance in Africa’s future.

He posits that the potential of AI cannot be realized without the necessary frameworks for data governance. Data is the foundation of AI;  yet data collection, quality and accessibility in African nations is challenging.  He also emphasized the importance of involving African stakeholders such as governments, businesses, civil society and academia in shaping the future of AI.

The team at Blacklin firmly believes that supporting Africa’s AI and data governance efforts is a strategic opportunity to foster a more equitable global order.  

Find the article here on page 8.
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Dr. Bienvenu Agbokponto Soglo

Dr. Bienvenu Agbokponto Soglo

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Dr. Bienvenu Agbokponto Soglo is the Vice President for Technology, Policy & Innovation at Blacklin Associates. He is a technology executive, public policy strategist, and deep tech advisor with over 20 years of international experience spanning technology, governance, and sustainable development. At Blacklin, he drives impact at the nexus of policy, technology, and inclusive growth, leveraging AI-driven solutions to tackle complex challenges. In addition to his role at Blacklin, he also serves as a Research & Innovation Associate in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Previously, Dr. Soglo was Director of Government Affairs Africa and Principal Engineer at Intel Corporation, where he led policy engagement on AI, 5G/6G, broadband, spectrum, data governance, and digital inclusion. He also spearheaded the Intel Community Reach Program, dedicated to bridging Africa’s digital divide and enabling local AI innovation. His career further includes senior leadership roles at Qualcomm and Huawei, along with influential contributions to international policy through the ITU, WTO, and GSA, where he chaired the ATU Spectrum Team for nearly four years. A recognized thought leader in deep tech and innovation ecosystems, Dr. Soglo has published technical papers on network control systems and co-authored landmark studies such as Evaluating the African Deep Tech Startups and Spin-Off Ecosystem and A Study on the AI Landscape of Universities in Africa. He currently serves as Thematic Lead for Entrepreneurship & SME Growth at the ITU Innovation & Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development and sits on the board of the Data Economy Policy Hub. He is also a member of South Africa’s National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) Working Group on AI and the B20 Digital Transformation Task Force. Fluent in English, French, and Chinese, Dr. Soglo holds a Ph.D. in Control Science & Engineering from Beijing Tsinghua University (2005), an M.Sc. in Control Theory & Control Engineering from Dalian University of Technology (2002), and a B.Sc. in Automatic Control from Dalian Maritime University (1999). He recently completed the Wharton Executive Education Program in Corporate Governance.

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