NAIROBI, Kenya — Africa’s tech leaders, global companies, and disability rights advocates marked Global Assistive Technologies (AT) Day at the Inclusive Africa Conference in Nairobi with a clear message: the continent’s digital transformation must be inclusive by design.
Held at the sixth edition of the Inclusive Africa Conference, the event brought together policymakers, entrepreneurs, and technologists who called for bolder investments in accessibility—and recognition of its potential to unlock both social and economic opportunity.
“When we build with accessibility in mind, we unlock opportunity. We invest in people, and people build economies,” said Maxine Williams, Meta’s Vice President of Accessibility and Engagement, in her keynote address.
Williams praised Kenya’s emergence as a digital innovation hub and urged developers to embed accessibility into technology from the start, rather than treat it as an afterthought.
She noted that globally, more than 1.3 billion people—roughly one in six—live with a disability, yet most remain excluded from the digital revolution.
Meta Showcases Open-Source Accessibility Tools
Meta spotlighted several AI-powered solutions aimed at closing that gap.
Its Massively Multilingual Speech (MMS) model, for instance, supports over 1,100 languages, including many African ones historically excluded from digital platforms.
In Kenya, Meta-backed projects are already in action. Jacaranda Health has integrated Meta’s Llama AI model into a maternal health assistant.
In Nigeria, HelpMum uses AI to support vaccine delivery, while in Tanzania, Twiga has deployed an AI-powered teaching assistant.
Millions of African students are also using FoondaMate, an AI study companion.
On its own platforms, Meta has upgraded accessibility tools: WhatsApp now includes voice message transcription, and Facebook and Instagram feature AI-generated alt text and improved screen reader compatibility—features co-designed with disability communities.
“Real accessibility happens when those most impacted help design the solutions,” said Williams.
IFC Highlights Untapped Potential in Rural Africa
Also speaking at the event, Nathalie Kouassi Akon, Global Director of Gender & Economic Inclusion at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), emphasised that inclusive tech is not just a social good but a smart business move.
She shared the story of Regina, a Nairobi entrepreneur whose disability had previously limited her opportunities—until she gained access to a smartphone through a local fintech initiative.
But such success stories remain rare: four out of five people with disabilities in rural Kenya still lack basic access to digital tools and services.
Akon spotlighted the MOSAIC initiative, launched with ATscale, to boost Africa’s assistive tech manufacturing and training capacity.
With the global AT market projected to hit USD 60 billion by 2030, she said Africa must position itself not just as a beneficiary—but as a leader.
She also applauded new efforts to create 500,000 jobs for youth with disabilities, calling for deeper collaboration between governments, private sector actors, and civil society.
The celebration of Global Assistive Technologies Day, marked annually on June 4, is a call to action.
From screen readers to mobility aids, AT empowers people with disabilities to study, work, and live independently. Yet, according to the World Health Organization, only one in 10 people globally have access to the AT they need.
This year’s celebration in Nairobi placed a spotlight on Africa’s leadership in developing inclusive digital ecosystems—and the urgent need to scale up innovations that leave no one behind.
