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Tor Vande-Acka
MAKURDI – Vet Konect, a digital animal health company that is reimagining animal care access across Africa has held the first ever African Animal Health AI (Artificial Intelligent) Summit, in partnership with Nova Vet Family, a Dubai based company.
The African Animal Health AI Summit 2026, brought together veterinary professionals, researchers, educators, policymakers, students, technology innovators, and stakeholders in the industry from across Africa and beyond.
The Summit was held in recognition of the need to prepare Africa’s animal health workforce for this new era, due to the fact that Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming industries across the world, and veterinary medicine is no exception.
The two-day virtual summit also created the platform for meaningful conversations on how artificial intelligence can strengthen veterinary practice, improve disease surveillance, enhance livestock production, support research, and increase access to quality animal healthcare.
However, based on the discussions, at the summit, one message was clear; AI is not here to replace veterinarians, but to empower them with better tools for decision making and service delivery.
In his opening remarks, the founder and CEO of Vet Konect, Dr. Terese Shadrach Akpem reminded participants of the urgency and need to embrace technology in advancing animal care, given the limited human resource of animal health professionals on the African continent, adding that the timing was right to leverage technology as a spring board to improving animal health outcomes.
He stressed the need for collaboration among governments, universities, professional associations, technology companies, and development partners to ensure Africa is not left behind in the ongoing digital transformation.
Akpem, also encouraged participants to embrace innovation while maintaining the ethical principles and professional standards that define veterinary medicine.
Dr. Patrik Holmboe, Product Manager, Nova Vet Family in his presentation demonstrated practical applications of AI in veterinary practice, including AI powered medical scribes, clinical decision support systems, and digital tools that reduce administrative workload while allowing veterinarians to spend more time with their patients.
He also emphasised that AI should always function as a clinical assistant, with professional judgement remaining firmly in the hands of veterinarians.
Delivering his keynote address, Dr. Moses Arokoyo, President, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), highlighted the importance of digital infrastructure and Public Private Partnerships in advancing AI adoption across Africa.
Arokoyo, explained how artificial intelligence can strengthen disease surveillance, improve outbreak preparedness, and support evidence based decision making, while calling for greater collaboration between governments, the academia, technology companies, and the private sector.
Subsequently, attention was shifted towards preparing veterinary professionals for an AI enabled future, where Dr. Gani Enahoro, encouraged participants to remain adaptable, embrace lifelong learning, and recognize that data quality remains the foundation of effective AI systems.
He challenged veterinarians not to see AI, as a threat, but as a valuable partner capable of strengthening veterinary services.
Building on this, Dr. Holmboe demonstrated practical AI tools that veterinarians can integrate into their daily workflow, illustrating how technology can improve productivity, reduce burnout, and enhance patient care.
Reflecting on the success of the summit, the organizers noted that the event marked the beginning of a broader movement to advance responsible AI adoption within Africa’s animal health sector. Beyond introducing participants to emerging technologies, the summit fostered dialogue, collaboration, and new partnerships that will help shape the future of veterinary medicine across the continent.
