Digital Sovereignty: African Perspectives

Brief Introduction

Digital technologies can promote productivity, dynamic growth returns, structural change and the implementation of sustainable development goals, but they also present new challenges. Some of these challenges – such as data extraction and commodification, rising costs of innovation, an influx of predatory firms and the loss of privacy – have been linked to national policy to assert digital sovereignty in this new age (Pohle & Thiel, 2020).

Put simply, such calls for digital sovereignty require governments to articulate a national vision of economic independence, development and personal freedom in the interest of their citizens. Yet this can be complex in practice. What does economic independence and development look like in the digital economy? How can we define and balance freedom, at the national, economic and personal levels, within countries? Are states best positioned to define the interests of their citizens and, if so, what forms of participatory engagement are required? What are the implications of the ‘digital divide’, both within and between countries, for digital sovereignty? Is ‘digital sovereignty’ the best way to articulate and frame policy in the digital economy?

These questions assume particular importance in developing countries, especially for those in Africa, due to the challenges associated with the digital economy, weak institutions and policy capacity to anticipate the influence of new digital technologies, and data inequality. This collection of essays seeks to address these issues with considerable focus, and includes essays which address the following broad heads related to digital sovereignty in Africa:

• Digital transformations for and in Africa (economic autonomy, technological change)
• Digital technologies for development in Africa
• Privacy and data governance models for Africa
• Data access and data equality for Africa.

Contents

This volume includes twelve pieces written by fellows in the Research Sprint.

1. Digital Sovereignty in Africa: An Introduction - Padmashree Gehl Sampath and Fiona Tregenna

2. Rethinking Digital Infrastructure Development in Africa – Adio-Adet Dinika

3. The Potential Economic Empowering Role of Cross-border Data Flows in Legal Frameworks for Data Protection in Africa – Ayça Atabey

4. Leveraging Digital and New Technologies for Development in Africa’s Emerging Economies with Significant Structural Constraints – Ngwinui Belinda Azenui

5. If Health is Wealth, Where is Africa’s Health Data? – Benjamin Akinmoyeje

6. AI Governance in Africa: The Case of Mauritius and Lessons for Africa – Bridget Boakye

7. African Entrepreneurship and the Promise of the Digital Economy – Emma Ruiters

8. Advancing Digital Inclusion Through Distributed, People-Centric African Smart Cities That Promote Digital Sovereignty – Faith Obafemi

9. Contesting Digital Colonialism Narratives in Africa and their Framing Effects – Jacquelene Mwangi

10. Yes to Data Privacy, But Whose Data Privacy? – Michael Asiedu

11. Africa’s Tech Solutionism vs Digital Sovereignty – Digital ID Systems in Post-Pandemic World – Oarabile Mudongo

12. Big Tech: Not-so-Simple Politics – Odilile Ayodele

13. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and content governance in Sub-Saharan Africa – Sylvia Ndanu Mutua

About the Project

This collection contains peer reviewed essays written as part of the  Virtual Research Sprint, titled Toward an African Narrative on Digital Sovereignty, which ran from 7 June to 30 July 2021. The sprint syllabus is available on Wikiversity as a permanent, open-access and living syllabus.

Editor(s): Gehl Sampath, P.; and Tregenna, F. 

Peer Reviewers: Gehl Sampath, P.; and Habiyaremye, A.

Contributors: Adio-Adet Dinika; Aminata Kidiéra; Ayça Atabey; Bendjedid Sanoussi; Benjamin Akinmoyeje; Blaise Bayuo; Bridget Boakye; Emma Ruiters; Faith Obafemi; Halefom Abraha; Ibtissam Chafia; Jacquelene Mwangi; Julius Mboizi; Lydia Namugabo; Michael Asiedu; Ngwinui Belinda Azenui; Oarabile Mudongo; Odilile Ayodele; Olusesan Michael Awoleye; Peace Oliver Amuge; Peter Mmbando; Sadrag Shihomeka; Sylvia Mutua; Tarirayi Machiwenyika-Mukabeta; & Winnie Kamau.

Project Team: This project was the result of the efforts made by a dedicated team, which comprised of:

• Sprint Chair: Padmashree Gehl Sampath, Berkman Klein Center, Harvard University
• Sprint Co-Chair: Fiona Tregenna, SARChI-ID, University of Johannesburg
• Sprint Coordinator: Phumzile Ncube, SARChI-ID, University of Johannesburg
• Sprint Team SARChI:  Alexis Habiyaremye; & Koketso Manyane-Dlangamandla
• Sprint Team HIIG: Mathias Ketterman; & Nadine Birner

ISBN: 978-1-77630-398-4