Call For Abstracts
Contribute to BUILD 2026
BUILD 2026 invites researchers, academics, practitioners, doctoral researchers and emerging scholars to submit abstracts that contribute to the conversation around Africa’s shared compute and AI infrastructure future.
Overview
What will it take to build Africa's AI future?
AI is developing rapidly across Africa, but the infrastructure, investment, skills, institutions and markets that will shape its future are still taking form. BUILD 2026 invites researchers, academics, practitioners, doctoral researchers and emerging scholars to examine these questions through research and evidence.
We are interested in work that helps deepen understanding of how AI infrastructure can be developed, financed, governed and accessed across Africa, and what this means for economies, societies and the continent’s position in the global technology landscape.
Abstracts may address questions of shared compute, energy and data centres, the economics of AI infrastructure, digital sovereignty, governance and ethics, technology and social justice, innovation and entrepreneurship, or other emerging issues relevant to Africa’s AI future.
Selected contributions will be presented at BUILD 2026 through paper presentations, posters and focused research sessions.
Note on the submission window: the abstract submission deadline is yet to be announced!
Submit early expressions of interest via the form below and we’ll notify you as soon as the closing date and full guidelines are confirmed.
Abstracts must fit one track
Each abstract is reviewed for relevance to the track, evidence quality and continental applicability. Interdisciplinary work that crosses tracks is welcome; please identify a primary track in your submission.
Who can submit
Researchers, academics, policy analysts and practitioners working on African AI infrastructure, economics, governance or deployment.
Themes
Submissions must map to one of the six BUILD thematic tracks.
Format
250–500 word abstract plus optional full paper or working-paper PDF.
Abstract submission
Complete the form below to propose a research presentation at BUILD 2026.