TikTok pledges $200,000 for AI literacy in Sub-Saharan Africa at Nairobi summit

TikTok has announced an additional $200,000 investment in artificial intelligence media literacy programmes across Sub-Saharan Africa during its third annual Safer Internet Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya.

The two-day summit brought together government officials, regulators, online safety partners and technology industry leaders from across the region to discuss strategies for strengthening online safety and responsible digital innovation. Held under the theme “Safer Together: Innovation and Safety”, the event marked the continued expansion of the summit series, which began in Ghana in 2024 and was later hosted in Cape Town.

The gathering focused on collaboration between governments, technology companies and civil society groups to address emerging digital safety challenges and promote safer online environments for users across the continent.

“As we host the 3rd Annual Safer Internet Summit here in Kenya, our mission is clear: to share learnings, insights, tackle common challenges and collaboratively advance actionable solutions that protect citizens online. By bringing together a diverse coalition of policymakers, tech innovators, and creators, we are ensuring that the conversations we have at this Summit are all-inclusive and lead to a more resilient digital landscape,” said Tokunbo Ibrahim, Head of Government Relations and Public Policy, Sub-Saharan Africa at TikTok.

The summit featured panel discussions and expert sessions on a range of issues, including the platform’s trust and safety policies, safeguarding young users online and regulatory approaches for responsible artificial intelligence governance.

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Information Communication and Technology, William Kabogo, said the forum highlighted the importance of partnership in shaping a secure digital ecosystem.

“I was pleased to open the third annual Sub-Saharan Africa Safer Internet Summit. This gathering reflects our government’s commitment to collaboration, sector growth, and ensuring a safe digital space for all. As we embrace the opportunities of the digital era, we must protect our people by advancing digital innovation, responsible AI governance, and strong regional partnerships for a secure and thriving online ecosystem.”

Investment in AI literacy initiatives

A major highlight of the summit was TikTok’s announcement of $200,000 in advertising credits to support local organisations in Sub-Saharan Africa working to expand AI media literacy.

The investment builds on the company’s $2 million AI Literacy Fund launched in November 2025, which supported 20 global non-profit organisations in producing educational content aimed at improving public understanding of artificial intelligence.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, three organisations previously received support through the fund to advance digital literacy and tackle misinformation.

Mtoto News, a Kenyan digital media platform focused on children and adolescents, is producing educational content to help young people understand and engage responsibly with AI technologies.

Africa Check is expanding its fact-checking work across Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya, providing audiences with tools to identify AI-generated misinformation and deepfakes.

The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, an African technology and media think tank, is also strengthening efforts to counter misinformation through its independent fact-checking platform, DUBAWA.

“With the rapid advancement of AI, we are committed to educating our community online so they feel empowered to have responsible experiences with AI, whether that's as viewers or creators. We are partnering with trusted local organizations that communities already know and rely on, because their expertise and deep local connections are essential to making AI literacy programs truly impactful,” said Valiant Richey, Global Head of Partnerships, Elections and Market Integrity at TikTok.

Strengthening transparency and moderation

TikTok also used the summit to outline how artificial intelligence is being deployed across the platform to support content moderation, creative tools and recommendation systems designed to help users discover relevant content.

Delegates were briefed on the platform’s transparency measures, which include requirements for creators to label realistic AI-generated content, advanced detection technology and collaboration with global initiatives focused on verifying digital content authenticity.

The company highlighted technologies such as content credentials and invisible watermarking, which are designed to help identify and label AI-generated material across digital platforms.

According to the platform, more than 100 million pieces of content are uploaded to TikTok daily. Advances in AI-driven moderation, combined with human oversight, are helping the platform detect and remove harmful material more quickly.

Data from the platform’s Community Guidelines Enforcement report for the third quarter of 2025 showed that more than 14 million videos were removed across Sub-Saharan Africa, with 96.7 per cent detected and taken down proactively through automated technology.

The summit concluded with participants pledging to deepen cooperation on digital safety initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa, building on the partnerships and discussions held during the event.