AI in Accounting: ACCA Urges Africa to Drive Agenda 2063
Posted by EDITORIAL
As AI disrupts Africa’s accounting profession, experts call for balance between innovation and ethics. At the ACCA Africa Members Convention in Kenya, finance leaders emphasize transparency, adaptability, and public participation in Africa’s digital transformation
Nairobi Kenya
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In Summary
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping Africa’s finance and accounting landscape, sparking both excitement and unease among professionals who fear automation could outpace human expertise. As Kenya prepares to host the fifth ACCA Africa Members Convention in December, industry leaders are calling for a balanced approach- one that harnesses AI’s potential while preserving the ethical, transparent, and human-centered judgment that anchors the profession.
The finance and accounting profession in Africa stands at a crossroads; One between innovation and uncertainty. AI being the present disruptor reshaping how Africa’s accountants work, think, and lead. As artificial intelligence (AI) transforms business operations globally, accountants across the continent are being forced to confront a question that’s as existential as it is practical: will machines replace them, or redefine their value?
The question framed discussions at the media briefing ahead of the fifth ACCA Africa Members Convention (AMC2025), to be held in Mombasa this December. The gathering will draw over a thousand professionals to explore how technology, sustainability, and governance are rewriting the script of global finance.
Themed, “Leading an Evolved Profession for a Changed World,” mirrors the tension many accountants now feel as technology redefines their roles beyond bookkeeping and audits to data-driven strategy, ethics, and governance.AI and automation are forcing organizations to rethink not only productivity but purpose.
“We’re looking at AI and what is the role of AI in advancing how governments operate,” said Andrew Kubo Mlawasi, Chair of the ACCA Public Sector Global Forum, Public Finance Management and Tax Consultant. “Government must move away from the bureaucracy and rigidity that slows innovation. Why are we still talking about automation of procurement systems when AI can help us build efficiency and transparency?”
Mlawasi’s remarks strike at a central concern: while private companies in Africa are increasingly integrating AI into their financial operations like financial analytics, fraud detection, and sustainability reporting at unprecedented speed: many public institutions remain tied to outdated systems and processes. He noted that governments continue to debate issues such as accrual accounting and automation.
The ACCA, through its redesigned qualification framework, is emphasizing this shift. By expanding the accountant’s role to include digital fluency, ethical leadership, and sustainability-focused decision-making, the body hopes to prepare professionals for an AI-integrated future rather than resist it.
Yet, beneath the optimism lies anxiety. Many accountants worry about redundancy as AI automates audit trails, reconciliations, and forecasting. The real challenge, experts say, is ensuring technology serves as an enabler rather than a replacement- augmenting human judgment, not erasing it.
Jamil Ampomah, ACCA’s Director for Africa, reinforced this point during the briefing:
“Africa’s Agenda 2063 aspires to a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development. Finance professionals must drive sustainability, promote social value, and reshape businesses through innovative technologies.”
As AMC2025 approaches, the conversation is less about whether AI belongs in accounting: it already does—and more about how African accountants can evolve fast enough to stay essential in an algorithm-driven economy.
