Cape Verde scores 0.91 out of 4 on the Africa AI Governance Index 2026, in the Nascent tier, and ranks 38 of 54. The Index scores 78 of 80 indicators. The strongest pillar is Strategy and Vision at 1.70. The weakest is Implementation and Impact at 0.11. The composite sits below the West Africa mean of 1.27 and the Africa mean of 1.33. The evidence explains the profile: Cape Verde governs AI through its general digital transformation and data governance instruments, a national AI strategy is still under development, and the profile records almost no AI-specific rules, bodies or reporting.
P1Strategy & Vision1.70 / 4Emerging
Cape Verde scores 1.70 on Strategy and Vision, in the Emerging tier, equal to the West Africa mean of 1.70. The profile records that the government launched a national data and AI strategy initiative through official channels (S1.3, score 3) and that digital governance reforms include multi-sector engagement structures (S1.6, score 3). The digital governance plan includes a structured action plan of 300+ actions (S1.8, score 2), and the PA-EGDCV embeds monitoring mechanisms for digital governance (S1.9, score 2). The national AI strategy is under development as part of the 2026 digital transformation agenda (S1.1, score 1). No formal adoption date is published (S1.2, score 0), and the profile identifies no explicit AI-only budget line (S1.4, score 1).
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P2Governance & Regulation1.20 / 4Emerging
Cape Verde scores 1.20 on Governance and Regulation, in the Emerging tier. The profile records that a data protection framework exists under the national legal system, aligned with European Union style governance principles, with limited enforcement capacity (G2.2, score 3). The evidence describes Malabo Convention ratification as not fully confirmed in public legal registers (G2.7, score 2). Cape Verde has no standalone AI law (G2.1, score 1) and no standalone AI authority (G2.5, score 1), and data governance institutions have no defined AI regulatory role (G2.3, score 1). The profile finds no published staffing or budget figures for the data protection authority (G2.4, score 0) and no documented AI enforcement cases (G2.8, score 0).
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P3Infrastructure & Data1.00 / 4Emerging
Cape Verde scores 1.00 on Infrastructure and Data, in the Emerging tier, with 9 of 10 indicators scored. The scoring basis counts 3 submarine cable systems (I3.3, score 2). General data governance frameworks exist, with no strict AI-specific localisation law (I3.7, score 2), and the evidence describes cross-border data governance as influenced by European Union style standards and regional agreements (I3.8, score 2). Domestic hosting infrastructure is limited (I3.1, score 1). The profile finds no published megawatt figures (I3.2, score 0), no official bandwidth disclosure (I3.4, score 0) and no confirmed local hyperscaler data centres (I3.5, score 0). No sovereign cloud is operational (I3.10, score 1). Foreign AI surveillance spending is not scored (I3.9).
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P4Human Capital0.60 / 4Nascent
Cape Verde scores 0.60 on Human Capital, in the Nascent tier. The highest score is for school computing: ICT integration exists in education reform efforts (H4.6, score 2). The scoring basis records 5.72 AI papers per million people (H4.4, score 1). The University of Cape Verde offers ICT and computer science, not dedicated AI degrees (H4.3, score 0). The profile finds no published competency breakdown of CNPD staff (H4.2, score 0), no recorded domestic AI patents (H4.5, score 0) and no assessment of AI in the informal economy (H4.9, score 0). African language coverage scores 0 (H4.10); that score is retained and under second-edition review, because the Thresholds sheet lists Kabuverdianu as covered by NLLB-200.
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P5Innovation & Ecosystem0.40 / 4Nascent
Cape Verde scores 0.40 on Innovation and Ecosystem, in the Nascent tier. No indicator scores above 1. Six indicators score 0: the profile finds no national AI industry registry (N5.1), no AI-specific investment reporting (N5.2), no dedicated AI incubator (N5.3), no AI regulatory sandbox (N5.4), no published ISO 42001 implementation records (N5.7) and no formal AI risk frameworks (N5.9). Four indicators score 1. ICT procurement exists without a structured AI procurement policy (N5.5). The country has no dedicated AI safety lab and limited university-level ICT research capacity (N5.6). National standards infrastructure exists with no AI-dedicated committee identified (N5.8). Collaboration between academia and the telecom and private sector is limited, with no structured AI joint labs identified (N5.10).
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P6Ethics & Inclusion0.60 / 4Nascent
Cape Verde scores 0.60 on Ethics and Inclusion, in the Nascent tier. No indicator scores above 1. The profile confirms no legal or policy requirement for algorithmic impact assessments (E6.1, score 0), no formal bias audit regulation (E6.2, score 0), no known AI-related judicial rulings (E6.5, score 0) and no formal national AI advisory council (E6.6, score 0). The other six indicators score 1 on general instruments that are not AI-specific. General digital governance transparency principles exist (E6.3), and general administrative complaint mechanisms exist (E6.4). Civil society engagement occurs in broader digital policy processes, with no structured AI-specific platform (E6.8). Youth inclusion appears in general digital innovation discussions, with no formal youth AI governance body (E6.10).
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P7Regional Integration1.20 / 4Emerging
Cape Verde scores 1.20 on Regional Integration, in the Emerging tier. The scoring basis lists Cape Verde as a signatory of the Africa Declaration on AI, Kigali, 4 April 2025 (R7.2, score 3). The evidence describes engagement through African Union digital transformation discussions, with no formal alignment framework published (R7.1, score 2), and participation in digital governance discussions related to the Economic Community of West African States (R7.3, score 2). The profile finds no AI-specific electoral integrity framework (R7.5, score 0); the file notes a parliamentary election on 17 May 2026. General media and cybercrime laws apply to disinformation, with no AI-specific framework (R7.6, score 1). Cape Verde is not a member of the G20 or BRICS (R7.10, score 0).
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P8Implementation & Impact0.11 / 4Nascent
Cape Verde scores 0.11 on Implementation and Impact, in the Nascent tier, with 9 of 10 indicators scored. Eight of the nine score 0. The profile finds no AI-specific regulation for health (M8.2), agriculture (M8.6) or education (M8.8), no documented approvals of AI-based medical devices (M8.3), no AI system registry (M8.4), no AI monitoring reports (M8.5) and no documented governance outcomes (M8.9). The financial sector is regulated, with no AI-specific rules identified (M8.7, score 1). Budget disbursed is not scored because the profile cell was broken; that status is under second-edition review (M8.1). The editor's check in October 2026 found no AI-specific public disbursement and records that work on a public-sector AI strategy started on 28 April 2026.
See the 10 indicators for Implementation & Impact