Data Science Africa (DSA) is a grassroots organisation founded in 2015 to provide quality training in data science, machine learning, and emerging technologies, with the goal of leveraging these disciplines to develop solutions to Africa’s unique challenges.
The organisation was established in response to the limited exposure that students at African universities had to cutting-edge machine learning and data science techniques, as well as the lack of platforms where research addressing African problems using data science could be showcased.
The 14th Edition of the Conference will be hosted by Makerere University, Kampala Uganda.
Theme: "Foundational and Practical Data Science in the Age of Generative AI”
Date: 20th - 24th July, 2026
Summer School
The Conference will feature an intensive 3-day a Summer School designed to equip students and early-career researchers with practical and theoretical foundations in modern data science.
The summer school will cover core topics, including:
- Python for Data Science
- Data storytelling and visualization
- Machine Learning Fundamentals
- Ethics and Responsible AI
- Hands-on projects using real-world datasets
- Agentic AI and Multi-Agent Systems
- Multimodal AI and LLMs
- AI on the Edge and Resource-Constrained Environments
- NLP and African Language Models
- Explainable AI and Model Interpretability
Workshop
DSA 2026 workshop will take place at Makerere University (23-24 July 2026) and aims to explore how core data science principles, machine learning foundations, and modern Generative AI techniques can be combined to design robust, scalable, and impactful solutions for African challenges.
Thematic Axes (Non-Exhaustive)
- Foundational Data Science and Machine Learning
- Generative AI and African Language Models
- Data Science applications, including AI/DS for Climate, Healthcare, Agriculture, and Environmental Risks
- AI/DS in Education and Finance
- Ethical AI and Cybersecurity
- Data Governance