African leaders are sharpening their focus on digital sovereignty, warning that the continent’s economic future will depend not just on connectivity, but on who controls its data—and where it is stored. This strategic shift was noted during a high-level roundtable in April 2026, held in Tangiers, Morocco, as part of the 58th session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Conference of Ministers. Policymakers and technology leaders at the event signaled a decisive shift in Africa’s digital ambitions: from being consumers of technology to becoming architects of their own digital infrastructure and data ecosystems. Central to this ambition is the concept of "sovereign data," which aims to ensure that African data is stored, processed, and governed within the continent. This principle shows a fundamental rethinking of Africa's role in the global digital landscape. Digital independence is no longer optional; it is considered a prerequisite for economic security and national resilience across Africa. The discussions in Tangiers emphasized that controlling data within the continent is critical for fostering sustainable growth and protecting national interests in an increasingly data-driven world.
Building Local Digital Foundations
Digital public infrastructure (DPI), often described as the "rails" of the digital economy, must now carry something more valuable: intelligence. Data centres are described as the backbone of the digital economy, key for supporting the continent's digital transformation. Participants at the Tangiers discussions called for the development of "AI factories"—facilities capable of storing and processing large volumes of data locally within Africa. These AI factories are envisioned as critical enablers for developing indigenous AI capabilities and ensuring that the economic benefits derived from data processing remain within the continent. This approach aims to reduce reliance on external infrastructure while fostering local technological growth and innovation. The emphasis on local processing capabilities is a direct response to the call for sovereign data, ensuring that the entire data lifecycle, from collection to analysis, occurs within African borders where possible.
The concept of "data embassies" was also discussed, proposing shared infrastructure that allows countries to store data securely across borders while maintaining national sovereignty over that data. This model seeks to balance data security with regional collaboration, offering a pragmatic solution for countries with limited resources to build extensive national data infrastructure immediately. These data embassies could provide a secure, distributed network for sensitive governmental and commercial data, reinforcing the principle that Africa’s digital future must be built in Africa, and for Africa. The overarching sentiment emphasized that Africa's digital future must be built within the continent and designed specifically for its needs, moving beyond mere adoption of external systems to active creation. These discussions show a strategic push to localize digital assets and processing capabilities, ensuring that the benefits of the digital economy remain within Africa and contribute directly to its development goals. The development of local data infrastructure is seen as essential for achieving this vision and supporting the continent's aspirations for digital independence and economic growth.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Despite significant progress in digital infrastructure development, Africa currently generates less than 1% of global data, even though it accounts for nearly 20% of the world's population. This disparity notes a substantial gap in digital participation and content creation on the continent. The limited generation of data shows the challenge of fully integrating Africa into the global digital economy and realizing its full digital potential. This low data generation rate also means that much of the data pertinent to African development is often generated and processed elsewhere, diminishing local control and economic value.
The digital divide within Africa remains pronounced, with nearly one billion Africans still lacking internet access, even in regions where mobile network coverage is available. This gap points to barriers beyond mere infrastructure, such as affordability, digital literacy, and access to suitable devices. Addressing this large offline population is considered key for realizing the continent's digital potential and ensuring inclusive growth. The sheer number of unconnected individuals represents a significant untapped market and a challenge to achieving widespread digital transformation. Efforts to bridge this divide are focusing on making digital services more accessible and relevant to a broader segment of the population, including initiatives to lower data costs, provide affordable devices, and enhance digital skills training. Connecting these communities is not just about access; it's about enabling participation in the digital economy and ensuring that the benefits of digital sovereignty are felt by all.
The Path to Execution
Measuring the economic impact of digital transformation remains a challenge. This difficulty complicates efforts to quantify the returns on investment in digital infrastructure and policy initiatives, making it harder to secure funding and justify further development. Africa faces a critical question regarding its digital future: will it simply adopt external systems, or build its own? The consensus from the Tangiers roundtable leans heavily towards the latter, advocating for a proactive approach to developing indigenous solutions tailored to the continent's unique context and challenges. This requires a concerted effort to foster local innovation and build capacity across the digital ecosystem.
Strong public-private partnerships, underpinned by strong cybersecurity and data protection frameworks, are needed to advance the continent's digital agenda. These partnerships are essential for mobilizing the necessary capital, expertise, and technological resources to build the envisioned digital infrastructure. Cybersecurity and data protection are not merely regulatory requirements but fundamental pillars for building trust in Africa's digital ecosystem, protecting citizens' data, and ensuring the integrity of critical infrastructure. Without these safeguards, the benefits of digital transformation could be undermined by security threats and data breaches. A gap exists between the current policy ambition and its real-world impact, noting the need for concrete implementation strategies and measurable outcomes. Bridging this gap will require sustained political will, innovative financing models, and a collaborative spirit across governments, the private sector, and civil society. The journey towards true digital sovereignty is complex, but African leaders are clearly setting a course for a future where the continent controls its digital destiny.
