Project Management as the Implementation Mechanism for AI-Enabled Public Policy: Evidence and a Conceptual Framework from Education, Healthcare, and Digital Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This integrative literature review examines how project management functions as the implementation mechanism through which artificial intelligence enables effective public policy delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa. Drawing evidence from education, healthcare, and digital inclusion, the review synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed literature and reports published by international organizations, including UNESCO, WHO, the African Union, the African Development Bank, GSMA, and the International Telecommunication Union. The paper argues that AI should be understood as an enabler of project management processes rather than a substitute for policy implementation itself. It introduces an original five-layer conceptual framework linking policy objectives, AI-enabled project management, governance, and public service outcomes while identifying governance capacity as the critical condition for successful implementation. The review concludes with recommendations for governments, development partners, and researchers and proposes priorities for future empirical research on AI-enabled public policy implementation in Africa.