In April 2025, the Kayode Alabi Leadership and Career Initiative (KLCI) reached a major milestone with the launch of Rafiki AI, Africa’s first generative AI career advisor built for underserved and displaced young people and accessible entirely via WhatsApp.
Available 24/7, Rafiki AI reached 1,200 users across 22 countries within three days of launch, including 16 African countries.
Its rapid adoption was driven by student and refugee networks, low income schools, and community organizations, spreading from African Leadership University campuses to refugee settlements and rural classrooms across Lagos State, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Yemen, and beyond.
Nine months later, Rafiki AI has reached over 9,339 users across 60 countries, with 90 percent of users based in Nigeria. With zero marketing spend, the platform has processed nearly 40,000 career related queries, exchanged over 82,500 messages, and indirectly reached more than 37,000 people.
At a market rate of 50 dollars per session, this represents over 466,000 dollars in career guidance value delivered freely.
Today, with support from Amazon Web Services Cloud Credits and the Founders Fund (Hammed Kayode Alabi Fund), KLCI announces the launch of Rafiki X.
Rafiki X is the web based extension of Rafiki AI, offering advanced features such as CV uploads and feedback, application story generation, voice prompts, and retentive memory for ongoing career conversations.
Rafiki X operates on a solidarity based model with optional subscriptions priced at 2 dollars per month or 12 dollars per year, offering advanced features while keeping the core WhatsApp and web based career guidance permanently free for underserved and displaced young people.
Speaking on the launch, Hammed Kayode Alabi, KLCI Founder and Co CEO noted that this model reduces dependence on grants and creates a sustainable, equitable way to fund AI for education and social change.
Shalom Adedeji, Rafiki Fellow and Head of Communications added that every paid subscription directly enables free career guidance for young people who need it most.
KLCI’s goal is to reach 10 million underserved and displaced young people with career counseling by 2030.
