Abstract
Technological advancement in Africa has accelerated with the rise of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), reshaping human interaction and transforming higher education. Central to this shift is Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly generative tools like ChatGPT, which have sparked diverse academic responses. This paper examines perceptions of AI integration in African higher education, focusing on ethics and academic integrity. The study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, which began with a probabilistic sampling, where a total of 70 peer-reviewed grey literature and academic publications were sourced. The data were sourced from Google, institutional repositories, and SCOPUS databases. Scraping was done both manually and with the help of Python codes in Google Colab. The collected data were then subjected to contextual textual analysis within an archival correlational framework. Findings reveal a sparingly low negative and a generally high positive sentiment about use of AI tools in African higher education. The study recommends that African higher education institutions adopt robust AI governance policies, integrate ethics and academic integrity training into curricula, and invest in equitable digital infrastructure to ensure inclusive access.