Digital public infrastructure is expanding across Africa, connectivity improving and governments and businesses are increasingly exploring how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can support economic growth and public services.
The defining question is not only whether Africa participates in the AI economy, but if value created from African data, talent and deployment is captured within the continent's economies.
At the centre of this challenge lies data because AI systems rely on data to learn, adapt and generate value.
African countries are increasingly recognising data as a form of strategic infrastructure, similar to energy grids, broadband networks and cross-border financial systems.
Yet, across the continent, the governance structures that determine how data is shared, protected and used remain fragmented. Without trusted and interoperable data systems, AI cannot scale responsibly across sectors or across borders.
There has been significant progress in data governance across Africa over the past decade. Current United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data show that 76 percent of African countries have data protection and privacy legislation in place.
That is significant progress, but progress alone will not be enough if governance remains fragmented.
Progress is being held back by persistent data silos and overly restrictive data localisation and cross-border transfer restrictions. These barriers can limit innovation, constrain economic growth and reduce opportunities for cross-border collaboration when scale is increasingly important.
Unlocking trusted cross-border data flows, while respecting national sovereignty and privacy protections, will be critical to enabling a digital economy that works across borders, not just within them.
The risk is not only slower adoption, but reduced influence over how AI systems are designed, trained and deployed.
Current data governance efforts across the continent also tend to focus heavily on data protection and privacy. These are essential, but there needs to be an equal focus on enablers such as data portability, interoperability and responsible localisation, which are just as crucial to unlocking a robust, future-oriented digital economy.
Modern data sovereignty enables trusted cross-border participation while safeguarding rights. Without integrated data flows, African innovators, researchers and public institutions risk being excluded from emerging digital value chains, many of which are increasingly powered by AI systems and data-driven services.
To capitalise on the AI opportunity, the continent requires more harmonised policies and coordinated frameworks among countries.
Regional integration will be essential to creating the scale required for AI innovation, digital services and cross-border trade.
Public-private partnerships between governments, research institutions, civil society and technology providers can bring together global best practices, technical expertise and interoperable infrastructure. The objective is not only regulatory alignment, but enabling AI systems to be deployed safely, inclusively and at scale across the continent.
The writer is Government Affairs Director, Microsoft
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