AI regulation in Eritrea (2026)

Eritrea has not published a national AI strategy, policy document, or regulatory framework of any kind. The OECD's April 2026 report on AI governance in Africa and the AU's May 2025 high-level policy dialogue confirm that most Horn of Africa states, including Eritrea, have not yet commenced national AI strategy development.

AI-adjacent digital governance rests on the 1998 Communications Proclamation and the 2003 proclamation establishing the state-owned EriTel monopoly. A National Policy for ICT in Education exists but covers only connectivity and school use; no legislation addresses data protection, algorithmic accountability, or AI.

As an AU member, Eritrea is nominally within scope of the African Union's Continental AI Strategy (endorsed 2024, phased 2025–2030), which calls on member states to develop national frameworks. Eritrea has published no national implementation plan or roadmap in response.

Oxford Insights' Government AI Readiness Index places Eritrea near the bottom globally, reflecting severe constraints in internet penetration, digital infrastructure, institutional capacity, and data ecosystems — the foundational prerequisites for any AI governance regime.

Eritrea lacks both a public national cybersecurity strategy and data protection legislation — instruments that typically precede or accompany AI governance. A cyberattack on Eritrea's internet infrastructure was publicly reported in May 2024, underscoring the gap.

Academic papers on AI and machine learning for Eritrea's development (including Tigrinya-language NLP models) have appeared on ResearchGate, indicating embryonic research interest. This has not been accompanied by any government policy, official guidelines, or legislative proposals.