African countries strive to secure digital and technological sovereignty because it is the only path to independence, true equality, and control over their resources and infrastructure in the modern world. However, the active participation of foreign tech companies in building Africa’s digital infrastructure could entrench the continent’s dependence on external platforms, lead to data leaks, and limit opportunities for local innovation, writes Marina Krynzhina, Associate Professor at the Department of International Journalism at MGIMO. The author is a participant of the Valdai – New Generation project.
Science and technology are the main drivers of development on the African continent. Ensuring digital sovereignty without significant investment in scientific and technological development is impossible. Nevertheless, the systematic and collective efforts of African countries to develop science and technology on the continent are undeniable. This is confirmed, among other things, by the public promise of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to use his country’s G20 presidency in 2025 “to place the needs of Africa and the rest of the Global South more firmly on the international development agenda.” The results of South Africa’s efforts in this respect will be summarised at the Johannesburg summit at the end of the year.
Another significant event was the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, held from June 30 to July 3, 2025, in Seville, Spain under the auspices of the UN, where African leaders pinned high hopes on attracting investment in science and technology development. The Seville Agreement, adopted by consensus, includes a set of commitments to reform sovereign debt. If the provisions outlined in the document are actually implemented, it will be a major victory for the continent, as the debt obligations of a significant number of African countries prevent them from reallocating budgets in favour of science and technology development.
However, lack of investment is not the only obstacle to achieving coveted technological sovereignty. To achieve digital independence, Africa still faces a tangled web of challenges: weak infrastructure, a lack of indigenous technology and dependence on foreign actors, labour shortages, limited access to electricity, a gender gap in technology use, regulatory and legal barriers, and political instability. These are just a few of the discouraging figures.
Africa still accounts for less than 1% of global data centre capacity, despite mobile traffic growing on the continent at an annual rate of approximately 40%, which is almost twice the global average. Furthermore, Africa lacks its own interconnectivity system, without which it cannot become an equal participant in global communications. The undersea cables that reach the continent and provide internet access to Europe and America are entirely controlled by Western European countries.
Electricity supplies are limited: only 43% of the population has reliable access to electricity. More than 409 million Africans live within 10 kilometres of land-based fibre-optic networks. However, broadband adoption remains low due to affordability, quality gaps, and limited last-mile coverage in rural areas.
Despite the existence of data protection laws in 36 African countries and attempts to ratify the 2014 Malabo Convention, only 16 countries have acceded to it, and most countries have weak regulatory frameworks and fragmented cybersecurity policies. As Western companies actively expand into the construction and maintenance of data centres in Africa, the shortage of locally qualified cloud technology and cybersecurity specialists is becoming increasingly acute.
In an effort to overcome these challenges, the African countries are acting as a united front. Domestic initiatives within African countries are aimed at achieving political agency and developing a sovereign African science sector. Thus, the updated Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2034), adopted by the African Union, focuses on the creation of local data centres, the development of a continental digital infrastructure, and strengthening sovereignty in data management. The African Union and national governments aim to overcome dependence on foreign platforms and Big Tech corporations by supporting open access to scientific knowledge (for example, AfricArXiv) and local citizen science initiatives (Pan-African Citizen Science e-Lab). African countries also recognize the strategic role of AI in achieving the continent’s technological sovereignty. For example, Kenya approved the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025-2030, thus becoming the first country in East Africa to develop a regulatory and structural approach to AI development.
The Valdai Discussion Club was established in 2004. It is named after Lake Valdai, which is located close to Veliky Novgorod, where the Club’s first meeting took place.
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