ADQ and Gates Foundation Commit $40M to AI-Powered Education in Africa

Bill Gates and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

ADQ, an active sovereign investor focused on critical infrastructure and global supply chains and the Gates Foundation today announced a landmark partnership to accelerate the responsible and high-impact adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and education technology (EdTech) to improve learning outcomes for children across sub-Saharan Africa. The announcement was made on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Finance Week, during a visit by Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, to the UAE. 

As education systems evolve, digital learning platforms, data technologies, and AI-enabled solutions are increasingly regarded as part of a nation’s essential infrastructure. Much like transport, energy, and logistics networks enable economic activity, these tools help build the human capital and technological readiness required for long-term competitiveness. By supporting this emerging dimension of educational infrastructure, ADQ is complementing its investments in physical and digital assets with capabilities that will help shape and sustain future economies. 

By 2050, Africa will be home to one in every three of the world’s young people. Yet today, nine in ten children in the region are unable to read or do basic math by age 10. This partnership will direct resources toward solutions that reflect local needs, empower teachers, and support students, helping education systems build the capacity required for sustained and scalable progress. Strengthening early-grade literacy and numeracy is essential to improving learning outcomes throughout a child’s education and to supporting more growth across the region. 

The four-year partnership will deploy a combined $40 million, with ADQ contributing up to $20 million, to tackle persistent education challenges across Sub-Saharan Africa by expanding the ethical use of AI through two flagship programs.  

AI-for-Education, a global initiative launched in 2022, develops practical models of AI-enabled learning and provides expert guidance to governments in the Global South. The EdTech and AI Fund, a new multi-investor vehicle set to launch next year, will scale proven EdTech and AI solutions across sub-Saharan Africa. Jointly anchored by ADQ and the Gates Foundation, it will be the first fund dedicated to national-level expansion of interventions shown to improve foundational learning. Generative AI provides unique opportunities to enhance proven approaches such as structured pedagogy, but evidence on what works is scarce. The sector also faces underfunding and low reach. More than 93 percent of EdTech products in low and middle-income countries are not tested for proof-of-learning impact, only two percent of global EdTech venture capital is attracted by sub-Saharan Africa, and just four percent of children in the region consistently use EdTech. 

Earlier this year, the Gates Foundation announced a USD 240 million expansion of its Global Education Program, a four-year effort to help 15 million children in sub-Saharan Africa and India learn more effectively by delivering cost-efficient and evidence-based solutions in partnership with governments. Building on this momentum, the UAE is applying its strengths in innovation and technical deployment to accelerate the integration and scaling of AI in education, contributing to the collective effort. 

“As part of the UAE’s commitment to advancing AI and technology-enabled solutions, this partnership underscores  ADQ’s dedication to delivering meaningful impact for current and future generations across global markets,” said His  Excellency Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of ADQ. “As a responsible investor, we have focused on enabling the infrastructure that supports socio-economic development and creating pathways for inclusive growth. While that has traditionally meant physical assets, the systems that support learning, data, and intelligent technologies are becoming equally important to national development. By combining our  investment capabilities with the expertise of leading institutions, we aim to strengthen education systems, widen access  to opportunity, and equip millions of young people across the African continent with the skills they need to thrive in an  increasingly digital world.” 

“AI has enormous potential to transform learning and expand opportunity. This partnership brings together the expertise needed to apply these tools responsibly and scale approaches already showing results,” said Bill Gates. “The UAE has shown leadership in using innovation to expand opportunity, and together we’ll build on that momentum  to help children develop the foundational skills that shape their futures.” 

With increasing momentum for education reform across Africa, reflected in commitments made at the 2025 African  Union Summit to end learning poverty by 2035, the opportunity for meaningful progress has never been greater.  Advances in technology, expanding local expertise, and increasing collaboration are creating a stronger foundation for change. By supporting efforts to apply AI and EdTech in ways that meet the needs of teachers and students, this partnership aims to help accelerate learning gains and contribute to a more prosperous and inclusive future for the continent’s young people. 

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