Huawei unveiled its “African Intelligence Pioneers” recognition programme at a gathering in Shanghai on September 18, honoring fourteen organizations across nine sectors for deploying artificial intelligence and cloud technologies to address African challenges. Africa’s digital infrastructure has expanded considerably over the past decade. Those commercial relationships give Huawei considerable influence over how African digital infrastructure develops. The African Intelligence Pioneers programme could provide value if future iterations include detailed case studies showing implementation challenges, solutions adopted, outcomes achieved and lessons learned. Without that substance, it remains primarily a branding exercise serving Huawei’s commercial interests rather than genuinely advancing African digital development.