African Businesses Poised to Lead on Agentic AI

Africa has a history of skipping legacy stages in technology adoption and embracing new innovations. The continent skipped fixed line telephony for mobile phones and branch banking for mobile money, and now it may be poised to lead on agentic AI.

Larry Cooke, Director of Government Relations and Strategy at Binance Africa, says that agentic AI has the potential to become the next big leapfrog technology in Africa. He notes that businesses are already moving quickly in this space, with some having a clear sense of what they want an agent to do.

The growth rate of agentic AI in South Africa is expected to be over 52% from 2025 to 2033, according to industry research. Binance's own Agent OS platform shows how businesses can build standardized interfaces for deploying AI-driven strategies safely and securely.

Cooke emphasizes that the biggest barrier to agentic AI in Africa is not the technology itself but rather education. He believes that understanding what an agent does is crucial, whether it's managing money, automating bookkeeping, or helping with homework.