Governing synthetic biology and artificial intelligence (AI) convergence: emerging biosecurity priorities for Africa

The rapid convergence of synthetic biology and artificial intelligence is reshaping the biosecurity landscape, yet governance approaches have not kept pace with the realities of digitally mediated biological research, particularly in African contexts. Existing global discourse has largely centred on high-level frameworks and treaty-based mechanisms, with comparatively less attention to how governance is operationalised within institutional systems. This paper addresses this gap by introducing and discussing structural exposure points defined here as systemic governance conditions that increase the likelihood that emerging technological capabilities will outpace oversight. Through an analysis of African biosafety regulatory bodies and national frameworks, the study identifies key exposure points, including fragmented institutional mandates, uneven regulatory and technical capacity, dependence on external technological infrastructure and limited integration of AI literacy within biosafety and biosecurity systems. Building on this analysis, the paper proposes a set of pragmatic and context-sensitive governance priorities, including embedding AI considerations within existing biosafety and research review processes, adopting proportionate risk-based oversight approaches, strengthening cross-disciplinary capacity and establishing baseline expectations for DNA synthesis screening. It further advances an adaptive governance approach centred on training key personnel, integrating knowledge across institutional systems, strengthening coordination functions and enabling continuous policy learning through feedback. By shifting the focus from regulatory expansion to institutional integration, this paper intends to offer a feasible pathway for strengthening biosecurity governance in Africa hence helping support responsible scientific innovation while addressing the evolving risks of bio-digital convergence.