ADQ, a prominent sovereign investor focused on critical infrastructure and global supply chains, has announced a major partnership with the Gates Foundation aimed at accelerating the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and education technology (EdTech) to improve learning outcomes for children across sub-Saharan Africa.
The partnership was unveiled during Abu Dhabi Finance Week, coinciding with a visit by Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, to the UAE.
As education systems in Africa evolve, digital learning platforms, data-driven technologies, and AI-enabled solutions are increasingly recognized as vital components of a nation’s infrastructure. Similar to transport, energy, and logistics networks, these digital tools are essential for developing human capital and technological readiness necessary for long-term competitiveness. By supporting this emerging educational infrastructure, ADQ seeks to complement its investments in physical and digital assets with capabilities that will help shape and sustain future economies.
With an anticipated population boom, Africa is projected to be home to one in three of the world’s young people by 2050. Yet, currently, nine out of ten children in the region are unable to read or perform basic math by age ten. The partnership aims to channel resources into solutions tailored to local needs, empowering teachers and supporting students to build the capacity necessary for sustained progress. Improving early-grade literacy and numeracy is seen as crucial to enhancing overall learning outcomes and fostering regional growth.
Over the next four years, the partnership will deploy a total of USD 40 million, with ADQ contributing up to USD 20 million, to address persistent educational challenges in sub-Saharan Africa through two flagship programs that expand the ethical use of AI. One of these initiatives is AI-for-Education, a global effort launched in 2022 that develops practical AI-enabled learning models and offers guidance to governments in the Global South. The other is the EdTech and AI Fund, a new multi-investor vehicle set to launch next year, which will scale proven EdTech and AI solutions across the region. This fund will be the first dedicated to expanding interventions proven to improve foundational learning at the national level. Despite the potential of generative AI to enhance education, the sector faces significant underfunding, low reach, and a lack of evidence on what methods are most effective. Currently, more than 93 percent of EdTech products in low- and middle-income countries lack proof of learning impact, only two percent of global EdTech venture capital flows into sub-Saharan Africa, and a mere four percent of children in the region are using EdTech regularly.
This initiative builds on the Gates Foundation’s earlier announcement of a USD 240 million expansion of its Global Education Program, which aims to help 15 million children in sub-Saharan Africa and India learn more effectively through cost-efficient, evidence-based solutions in partnership with governments. The UAE’s strengths in innovation and technology deployment are expected to accelerate AI integration and scaling in education, contributing to this collective effort.
His Excellency Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADQ, emphasized that the partnership reflects the UAE’s commitment to advancing AI and technology-enabled solutions, and underscores ADQ’s dedication to delivering meaningful impact for both current and future generations. He highlighted that while traditionally focusing on physical assets, systems supporting learning, data, and intelligent technologies are now equally vital to national development. Combining investment expertise with leading institutional knowledge aims to strengthen education systems, expand access to opportunities, and equip millions of young Africans with skills essential for thriving in an increasingly digital economy.
Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, expressed optimism about AI’s transformative potential in education, noting that the partnership brings together the necessary expertise to apply these tools responsibly and scale proven approaches. He commended the UAE’s leadership in leveraging innovation to expand opportunities and stressed that joint efforts will help children develop foundational skills that shape their futures.
As Africa’s push for education reform gains momentum, exemplified by commitments made at the 2025 African Union Summit to end learning poverty by 2035, the timing for impactful change has never been better. Advances in technology, growing local expertise, and increased collaboration are creating a stronger foundation for progress. This partnership aims to support efforts that meet the needs of teachers and students alike, ultimately accelerating learning gains and fostering a more prosperous, inclusive future for Africa’s young population.
