ICT Leaders from Africa Advance Practical Data Governance Solutions at Transform Africa Summit

More than 50 senior ICT policymakers, regulators, and industry representatives from 23 African countries convened on 12 November 2025 in Conakry, Guinea, for a high-level workshop organized by Smart Africa and UNESCO. 

Held as part of the 7th Transform Africa Summit, the session focused on addressing persistent legal, technical, and institutional gaps in data governance as Africa accelerates its digital transformation. 

Titled Data Governance in the Digital Age: From Principle to Practice, the workshop aimed to strengthen inclusive, rights-based data governance tailored to African realities. It built on the Broadband Commission Data Governance Toolkit launched at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event by UNESCO, UNDP, ITU, the African Union, and Smart Africa. Rather than revisiting high-level concepts, the session emphasized practical, hands-on guidance to help policymakers, regulators, and practitioners translate data governance principles into concrete national and regional action. 

Using the Smart Africa Data Governance Blueprint, the AU Data Policy Framework, and country case studies as reference points, the workshop discussed practical pathways for national implementation and regional alignment. Participants were introduced to the 4P framework (purpose, principles, people, processes) developed by the Data Governance Toolkit, assessed their countries’ data-governance maturity, and identified priority challenges in their own contexts. The session also provided a platform for attendees to learn from one another and exchange ideas. 

A pre-workshop questionnaire confirmed that many African countries continue to face major barriers, including insufficient legal and regulatory frameworks and limited technical capacity for data management and sharing. These findings echo results from UNESCO’s global consultation with more than 200 stakeholders from over 56 countries, a dedicated process designed to capture diverse perspectives and ensure their voices are reflected in the Toolkit’s development. 

Africa does not lack principles or frameworks. What we need now is the courage and discipline to bring them to life. This workshop reminds us that data governance is built through institutions, everyday decisions and capable people. The urgency now is to build a truly digital Africa, starting with data as the foundation for trust, innovation and accountability.

Thelma QuayeChief Digital Infrastructure, Skills and Empowerment Officer, Smart Africa

Across Africa, there is strong political will to advance data governance, but many countries are still navigating gaps between high-level principles and day-to-day implementation. This workshop created a valuable space for national authorities to assess where they stand, learn from peer experiences, and identify concrete steps to strengthen legal frameworks, institutional coordination, and technical capacity.

Leona VerdaderoProgramme Specialist on Digital Policies & Digital Transformation, UNESCO

The workshop also marked the launch of the French edition of the Data Governance Toolkit: Navigating the Digital Age. Alongside the original English version, this practical guidance supports wider uptake across Africa’s diverse linguistic contexts.  

READ MORE: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ict-leaders-africa-advance-practical-data-governance-solutions-transform-africa-summit