Africa's Digital Landscape Booms: 555 Policy Data Points Tracked
The digital landscape in Africa is evolving rapidly, with a surge in policies and regulations across various sectors. The Africa Technology Policy Tracker (AfTech), a comprehensive database covering 35 African countries and the African Union, has aggregated over 555 data points, highlighting the continent's digital transformation journey.
AfTech's analytical framework revolves around four key pillars: digital infrastructure, digital platforms, digital skills, and digital innovation. Since 1988, there has been a consistent rise in policy documents related to the digital economy within these pillars, with a significant increase starting in 2017. The digital infrastructure pillar has garnered the most policy attention, followed by digital platforms, digital skills, and finally innovation and entrepreneurship.
Rwanda leads the way with the highest number of data points (63), demonstrating its commitment to digital development. The African Union (AU) has played a pivotal role, developing ten digital frameworks anchored in Agenda 2063, with the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (DTS) 2020-2030 serving as the foundation. Recent trends include a focus on cybersecurity, cloud, and data protection policies, as well as prioritizing artificial intelligence for socioeconomic development.
African governments are actively shaping the digital future, with the majority (25 out of 35) having a national information communication and technology (ICT) strategy. The Africa Technology Policy Tracker, accessible on the African Union Commission's ESTI department website, provides valuable insights into this digital revolution, which is transforming people's lives across the continent.
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