ISSUE 61
Editorial: Strength in Numbers
This issue of Africa in Fact starts with a very basic premise, namely that governments cannot plan for what they do not know. Or to put it another way, “accurate, accessible and intelligible data is critical to inclusive development and governance in Africa”. In this issue, we take a closer look at the Data Revolution. We examine Africa’s place in it, and what it will take for the continent to ensure it is willing - and able - to maximise its potential to use the technological advances in...
Policymaking without data – a rudderless ship
In recent years, it has become commonplace to draw analogies between data and natural resources. One often encounters the phrase “data is the new oil”, while the competition over the acquisition and harvesting of data has been likened to the gold rush. Amidst these global trends, the factors that...
Policy, legal and regulatory issues in Africa’s digital sphere
African countries have leapfrogged into the global digital economy, with data as the enabler for transactions. But what are the policy, legal and regulatory implications of the rise of digital data as the “currency” and “oil” in Africa? You have read all of your free articles, to continue reading...
Policymaking without data – a rudderless ship
In recent years, it has become commonplace to draw analogies between data and natural resources. One often encounters the phrase “data is the new oil”, while the competition over the acquisition and harvesting of data has been likened to the gold...
Policy, legal and regulatory issues in Africa’s digital sphere
Common adages in our information and knowledge-based society are that data is the “new currency” and “new oil”, powering every human endeavour. African countries have leapfrogged into the global digital economy, with data as the enabler for...
Cloud-based ‘data ecosystems’ the answer to Africa’s data desert?
Accurate, accessible, and intelligible data is critical to inclusive development and governance in Africa, but the continent has long been riddled with “data deserts” where no sound, evidence-based policies can take root.
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Data sovereignty is key
Africa’s huge infrastructure deficit is well documented. With connectivity across the continent growing exponentially, digital infrastructure has become a key area that requires the urgent attention of investors and policymakers alike.
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Democracies die in data darkness
US news organisation The Washington Post has “democracy dies in darkness” emblazoned on its masthead, and this is true of all forms of government, and all forms of democracy.
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Africa’s data revolution: East Africa’s hidden potential
As the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), founded on data, data ecosystems and the data economy gains global momentum, there is a crucial need for African governments to harness the opportunities this revolution presents.
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Harnessing the data revolution for sustainable development in Africa
Africa must boost the capacity of national data ecosystems in the implementation cycle of the sustainable development goals, embracing revolutionary changes in data collection, management, curation, analysis and use.
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Why data is vital for policy-making and development
Good, reliable statistics are essential for measuring progress in reaching development goals and providing essential information about the effectiveness of policies and programmes, according to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.
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Namibia’s data gaps fuel policy blindness
The fact that Namibia will not be conducting a census in 2022 – which would have collected data on more than 80 indicators for everything from population size, location and migration, to housing, health and education demographics – exacerbates perennial concerns about the usefulness and credibility of official data.
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Data sharing is vital for transparency and good governance
The pressure is on across Africa for governments to implement policies that will enable them to achieve their sustainable development goals (SDGs).
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Nigerian secrecy laws impede information transparency
At the Abuja-based Centre for Journalism, Innovation, and Development in Nigeria, Ijeoma Okereke, a programme officer, keeps a list of government agencies that she says respond to requests for information and those that do not. In 2021, when her organisation tried to measure how public institutions release information and data to citizens under the country’s […]
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Cloud-based ‘data ecosystems’ the answer to Africa’s data desert?
Accurate, accessible, and intelligible data is critical to inclusive development and governance in Africa, but the continent has long been riddled with “data deserts” where no sound, evidence-based policies can take root.
Data sovereignty is key
Africa’s huge infrastructure deficit is well documented. With connectivity across the continent growing exponentially, digital infrastructure has become a key area that requires the urgent attention of investors and policymakers alike.
Democracies die in data darkness
US news organisation The Washington Post has “democracy dies in darkness” emblazoned on its masthead, and this is true of all forms of government, and all forms of democracy.
Africa’s data revolution: East Africa’s hidden potential
As the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), founded on data, data ecosystems and the data economy gains global momentum, there is a crucial need for African governments to harness the opportunities this revolution presents.
Africa’s statistical capacity by country
Cameroon’s statistical conundrum
Cameroon, like other sub-Saharan African countries, has a problem with the production of reliable data. The situation is so precarious that Shantayanan Devarajan, the one-time chief economist for Africa at the World Bank, described it as “Africa’s statistical tragedy”. You have read all of your...
Access to information is guaranteed in Kenya’s 2022 elections
Contested election outcomes are common in Kenya and have been experienced in every election cycle, increasing in intensity since the advent of multipartyism some 30 years ago.
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Technology – it’s personal
In the wake of “the great growling of change – technology”, as futurist Alvin Toffler so aptly put it, the need for the protection of personal information and reliable security systems has undoubtedly increased.
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Cameroon’s statistical conundrum
Cameroon, like other sub-Saharan African countries, has a problem with the production of reliable data. The situation is so precarious that Shantayanan Devarajan, the one-time chief economist for Africa at the World Bank, described it as “Africa’s statistical tragedy”.
Access to information is guaranteed in Kenya’s 2022 elections
Contested election outcomes are common in Kenya and have been experienced in every election cycle, increasing in intensity since the advent of multipartyism some 30 years ago.
Technology – it’s personal
In the wake of “the great growling of change – technology”, as futurist Alvin Toffler so aptly put it, the need for the protection of personal information and reliable security systems has undoubtedly increased.
BOOK REVIEWS
Book review: The Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Recolonisation of Africa
Everisto Benyera asserts that Africa “will accrue minimum benefits and suffer maximum consequences in the 4IR”. You have read all of your free articles, to continue reading simply register to claim your complimentary three-day all-access pass. Registration is quick and free You can claim your complimentary all-access pass and choose newsletters to receive by email. Create an account Subscription rates Subscribe for full access to all our content and choose newsletters to receive by email. See Our Rates We hope you enjoyed your complimentary access. Stay informed on issues that matter most to you. Become a subscriber today! Already have an account? Sign In
When data access is at the mercy of regime change
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gaps in data openness in Africa, with Tanzania—once on the frontline to support open data—ironically attracting global attention for hiding COVID-19 statistics.
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Zimbabwe’s data recovery starts with ZimStat
Zimbabwe’s data recovery starts with ZimStat
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The gig economy – global but precarious
Digital work opportunities in Africa don’t always translate into good quality jobs, and may not be sustainable.
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