Samiiha Nalwooga Williams

I am a research scientist, AI consultant, and project lead with extensive experience in machine learning, data analysis, and digital innovation. My work spans AI-driven agricultural solutions, healthcare technologies, policy research, and innovation ecosystem development, with a strong focus on Africa’s tech landscape.

Currently, I am a Research Consultant at AfriLabs, where I lead AI Startup Mapping to visualize and analyze AI’s impact across Africa. I develop and manage an AI mapping dashboard, leveraging Power BI and Python to extract insights and drive evidence-based recommendations. I also contribute to AI ethical policy studies, analyzing their implications for African innovators and providing strategic guidance to stakeholders.

Previously, at Makerere Artificial Intelligence Lab, I led the Gates GPT Project, where I explored ChatGPT’s role in cross-lingual agricultural advisory for smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. I also worked on AI-powered disease screening platforms, designing and optimizing machine learning models (CNNs) for medical image classification, focusing on cervical and breast cancer detection. My expertise in prompt engineering, model validation, and AI-driven solutions has contributed to impactful innovations in healthcare and agriculture.

In the corporate sector, I worked with Boehringer Ingelheim under the Afrika Kommt Fellowship, leading projects in digital transformation, IT platforms, and drone logistics. I successfully oversaw the Go Digital Kenya Project, leveraging Agile methodologies and Jira to coordinate training programs for digital skills development. As the Project Manager for the BI Drone Initiative, I facilitated IT-driven strategies for medical supply deliveries to remote areas using drones, ensuring effective community adoption through design thinking and empathy mapping.

My background in AI for agriculture includes leading the Mcrops Project, where I applied supervised machine learning and geospatial analytics to track cassava diseases, aiding Uganda’s agricultural policymakers. I also contributed to the NextGen Cassava Project, utilizing computer vision (OpenCV) and Android-based tools to enhance cassava breeding research.

With expertise in Python, Power BI, data visualization, AI policy research, and startup ecosystem mapping, I am passionate about driving AI innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable tech-driven solutions. My work bridges the gap between cutting-edge AI research, policy development, and real-world impact, fostering inclusive and scalable innovations across Africa and beyond.