Integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems into AI Development in West Africa: A Systematic Literature Review

Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in West Africa hold significant potential for enhancing AI development by incorporating local contexts and cultural nuances. A comprehensive search strategy was employed using academic databases to identify relevant literature. Studies were assessed for methodological rigor and relevance. The analysis revealed a predominance of qualitative over quantitative studies (40% vs. 60%) in exploring IKS integration, with themes including cultural sensitivity and community engagement. While the reviewed body of work demonstrates initial exploratory insights into IKS-AI integration, it lacks robust empirical evidence to inform policy or practice. Future research should prioritise methodological rigor and longitudinal studies to validate findings and support evidence-based AI development strategies in West Africa. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.