Deep Learning Indaba

The Indaba Success Story: Victor Olufemi @OlufemivictorT 💡 Sometimes the best part of the Indaba is seeing where the journey leads after the sessions end. We caught up with Olufemi Victor, who shared some of his personal highlights and what he’s been able to achieve within the community. It’s stories like these that remind us of the quiet impact of connecting with one another. Reminder: In-Person Registration: Still open through the Ticket Lottery (paid) until 30 May 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/Applicati… Virtual Indaba: You can register to join the DLI2026 online! 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Spotlighting the @GritinAI Community 🇳🇬✨ Founded in 2023 in Edo State, Nigeria, GritinAI is building a vibrant, people-driven ecosystem where AI learning moves from theory into real-world action. From their flagship AI Connect conference to supporting startups in building prototypes in just 24 hours, they are creating meaningful pathways for the next generation of African AI talent. Their work in convening policymakers and researchers highlights the power of collaboration in solving local challenges. A big thank you to the @GritinAI team for their dedication to accessibility and inclusion! Reminder: In-Person Registration to attend #DLI2026 is still open through the Ticket Lottery (paid) until 30 May 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/Applicati… Virtual Indaba: Registrations are open to join the DLI2026 online! 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

⏳ The clock is ticking! There are only 5 days left to submit your nominations for the 2026 Deep Learning Indaba Awards. We are looking for the innovators, researchers, and leaders who are shaping the future of AI and excellence across Africa. Don't miss the chance to recognise excellence in these categories: ● The Kambule Doctoral Award ● The Alele-Williams Masters Award ● The Maathai Impact Award ● The Anta Diop Award Help us celebrate brilliant minds! Deadline: May 10th, 2026 at 11:59 pm CAT Nominate or Apply Here: deeplearningindaba.com/awards/ #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

🌍✨ We’re thrilled to welcome Dr David Adelani @davlanade, Assistant Professor at the @mcgillu McGill University School of Computer Science and Canada CIFAR AI Chair @CIFAR_News, as our invited speaker at this year’s Deep Learning Indaba in Lagos, Nigeria! Dr Adelani will be delivering a talk on Monday, August 3rd, at 12:00 pm GMT+1 titled: Lessons from the Trenches: Building African-Centric LLMs for African Languages. An award-winning researcher with over 50 publications, Dr Adelani has led the development of groundbreaking models like AfroXLMR and AfriqueLLM. His work is at the forefront of ensuring that low-resource African languages are prioritised in the global advancement of AI technologies. Reflecting on the vision for his talk and the spirit of the Indaba community, Dr Adelani shares: "Ultimately, this talk aims to inspire more African researchers to develop African-centric models tailored to their languages and real-world use cases." Join us for this essential conversation on the future of African AI! Registrations for the Virtual Indaba are still open! deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Virtual Indaba 2026: Registrations now open! The Deep Learning Indaba continues to offer the opportunity to join our annual event fully online. For those unable to attend in Lagos, Nigeria, the Virtual Indaba 2026 provides a dedicated pathway to participate from anywhere. The virtual experience includes: Live-streamed tutorials, keynotes, and workshops. Live Q&A and virtual networking. Sponsor engagement and digital resources. Certificate of attendance. Further details and registration: deeplearningindaba.com/2026/virtual-i… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Spotlighting the UNILUS AI Community 🇿🇲✨ It is inspiring to see how grassroots groups are driving change across the continent. From Lusaka to the global stage, the UNILUS AI community has been doing incredible work, from winning the Yango National Hackathon to developing practical solutions like AI-powered hospital systems. They are a wonderful example of how students and professionals are coming together to build ethical, impactful solutions for healthcare and education.  A big thank you to Unilus AI Community for sharing their story with us! Would you like to share your community’s journey too? You can find the submission details and register your community through 👉 docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… Reminder: The deadline is tomorrow, April 30th, 11:59 pm AoE. #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Startup Showcase Success: GeoMindsAfrica A standout exhibitor at #DLI2025, @GeoMindsAfrica has advanced AgriSTAT with improved AI accuracy and new mobile and web applications. They’re partnering with agri-coops, testing in real fields, and giving farmers instant crop counts & yield estimates via phone or drone. Strengthening planning, revenue forecasting, and pathways to insurance and financial inclusion. Watch: youtu.be/7uvm9EMbXdo #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Grace’s Indaba Story: What She Gained and How You Can Be Next Financial aid applications are officially closed, but the Registration Ticket Lottery is still open. Here’s what you need to know: Why a lottery? Demand is extremely high, and the lottery system provides a fair and transparent chance at the remaining seats. How this route works: This is a paid attendance route. These fees are essential because they support core operational costs and help subsidise attendance for those receiving financial support. Deadline: 30 May 2026 Learn more: Full details: deeplearningindaba.com/2026/applicati… Enter the lottery: baobab.deeplearningindaba.com #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

🪘 Awards season is back! 🪘 We are proud to open our 2026 awards nominations! The awards recognise excellence amongst Africans each year in all areas related to African flourishing, innovation and AI. Here are the categories for this year: - The Kambule Doctoral Award - The Alele-Williams Masters Award - The Maathai Impact Award - The Anta Diop Award Check our website to apply/nominate and to get more details about the eligibility criteria: deeplearningindaba.com/awards/ The deadline to apply is on the 10th of May 2026! #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Startup Showcase Success: The Dawa Health Story We are very excited to share the incredible progress of Dawa Health (@dawa_health), a standout from our 2025 Startup Showcase! Since the Indaba, the team has been making waves in the maternal and child health space. Their innovative platform, DawaMom, is closing the gap in accessible diagnostics for mothers and children across Africa. The Highlights: Funding Milestone: Raised $100,000 from the UNICEF Venture Fund and TogetHER for Health to expand their diagnostic infrastructure. Scaling Impact: A strong pipeline is in place to scale their operations to 30 clinics in Zambia, bringing life-saving tech to those who need it most. Global Recognition: Proudly selected for the MIT Deep Tech Innovation Program for Africa (#BuildBotswana) and the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize (2026 Cohort). Dawa Health represents the new generation of African scientists and engineers turning breakthrough research into scalable ventures. We couldn't be prouder to have played a part in their journey! Watch the DawaMom platform in action: youtu.be/VXp66RGYD3A #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

The Call for Communities Deadline is EXTENDED! To give more grassroots AI communities the chance to share their journeys, we are extending the deadline for the Community Spotlight. Submit a 2–3 minute video showcasing your community’s work, impact, and contributions to the African AI ecosystem. Selected videos will be featured during the conference in Lagos and across our social media platforms! Remember, you can submit your application and video in both English and French! Detailed instructions are in the link. New Deadline: 30 April 2026 Register your community & submit your video 👉 docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Reminder: The call for our Community Spotlight will close in 2 days, on the 15th of April! Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your community's journey to the broader African AI ecosystem. #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

#DLI2026 Update: Registration Ticket Lottery Now Open! If you missed the financial aid deadline, you can still join us in Lagos through our Registration Ticket Lottery! What you need to know: The Lottery: To ensure fairness in our oversubscribed event, we use a lottery system for ticket allocation. Paid Route: This is a paid attendance route. We charge registration fees to cover the high operational costs of hosting an Indaba and to subsidise the costs of attendees with financial support. Financial Aid: Please note that applications for financial aid are now officially closed. Deadline to enter the lottery: 30 May 2026 Apply here: baobab.deeplearningindaba.com Full Details 👉 deeplearningindaba.com/2026/applicati… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Is your community shaping the future of AI in Africa? / Votre communauté façonne-t-elle l'avenir de l'IA en Afrique ? The Deep Learning Indaba (DLI) is looking for grassroots AI communities to participate in our Community Spotlight! We want to showcase your journey and impact to the broader African AI ecosystem. Submit: A 2-3 minute video of your community's work. Selected videos will be showcased during the conference and will also be featured on our social media platforms. Note: Video submissions and full instructions are also available in French within the link below! Deadline: 15 April 2026 Register your community & submit your video here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI… #DLI2026 #Indaba2026

Good news: The #DLI2026 application deadline has been extended! / Bonne nouvelle : la date limite de candidature est prolongée ! The new deadline is 4 April 2026. Did you know? You can complete your entire application in French! We want to ensure that language is never a barrier to brilliance. To apply in French, simply change your language settings in Baobab. Nous vous accordons plus de temps pour nous rejoindre à Lagos, au Nigeria. La nouvelle date limite est le 4 avril 2026. Le saviez-vous ? Vous pouvez remplir l'intégralité de votre candidature en français ! Nous voulons nous assurer que la langue ne soit jamais un obstacle à l'excellence. Pour postuler en français, modifiez simplement vos paramètres de langue dans Baobab. Apply/Postulez ici : baobab.deeplearningindaba.com #DLI2026 #indaba2026

Why apply to the Deep Learning Indaba 2026? Hear from those who joined us at #DLI2025 in Rwanda. Their experiences highlight what makes the Indaba unique: a dedicated community, world-class research, and a shared vision for African AI. Apply here: baobab.deeplearningindaba.com #DLI2026 #Indaba2026