Transforming STEM Education in African Universities Through Artificial Intelligence: Status, Barriers, and a Strategic Pathway for Sustainable Adoption

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has specifically started to revolutionize the way educators and students view learning on global pedagogical paradigms, opening up transformative pathways for personalized instruction and data-driven management. Nonetheless, its uptake in African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), especially across STEM disciplines, is strongly asymmetric as a result of systemic divides. This work is a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that explores: technological trends, educational advantages, and structural barriers to the prevalence of AI in STEM education within Africa. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 140 peer-reviewed studies from articles published between the years of 2015 and 2025 were synthesized through a thematic analysis and PESTEL analysis. The results show a dramatic increase in research interest since 2020, primarily originating from areas able to support better access and use of digital infrastructure, particularly in Nigeria and South Africa. The most popular technologies included Generative AI, Intelligent Tutoring Systems, and Learning Analytics. Pedagogically, these tools promote student engagement, provide customized and adaptive learning trails for learners, and automate assessment processes. In contrast, macro-environmental profiling exposes systemic bottlenecks: chronic deficits in digital infrastructure (intermittent electricity and erratic broadband), acute funding constraints, a pervasive AI talent gap among educators, as well as an absence of regulatory frameworks for data protection and responsible governance. In bridging these gaps, this paper proposes an integrated and tiered Africa-centric framework that combines infrastructure, literacy education, curriculum alignment with available job opportunities, and the need for moral governance to create effective global learning solutions while enhancing workforce readiness across the African continent. The framework offers a strategic guide to policymakers and university leaders striving towards an inclusive, sustainable, and responsible digitalization that aligns with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; STEM Education; Higher Education; Africa; PESTEL Analysis; Systematic Literature Review; Digital Transformation; Sustainable Development