Par CIPESA | Une année après son arrivée au pouvoir, Evariste Ndayishimiye présente un bilan mitigé concernant la liberté de la presse au Burundi. Ayant connu de sévères restrictions sous le règne du prédécesseur de Ndayishimiye, le défunt Pierre Nkurunziza, les professionnels des media et les activistes avaient de l’espoir qu’après sa prestation de serment, Ndayishimiye […] Read more

By CIPESA Writer | A year into his presidency, Evariste Ndayishimiye has posted a mixed scorecard for media freedom in Burundi. Having experienced harsh restrictions under Ndayishimiye’s predecessor, the late Pierre Nkurunziza, there was optimism among media practitioners and activists that once sworn in, Ndayishimiye would usher in progressive reforms in the country. Since taking […] Read more

By Jimmy Kainja | Three years after announcing plans to draft a bill on data protection in response to the changing media and technological landscape, the government of Malawi issued a call for public comments on the Data Protection and Privacy Bill, 2021. The proposed legislation is a welcome step in addressing policy and practice […] Read more

By Astou Diouf | Parmi ses homologues ouest-africains, le Sénégal fait partie des leaders dans les efforts de numérisation. Ses classements en matière de liberté de la presse sont élevés et le pays a également enregistré des progrès positifs en matière de protection des données. Les acteurs du secteur des télécommunications comprennent les entrants de 2018, […] Read more

By Astou Diouf | Among its west African counterparts, Senegal is among the leaders in digitalisation efforts. Its press freedom rankings are high and the country has also recorded positive strides in data protection. Telecommunications sector players include 2018 entrants ARC Telecom, WAW Telecom and Africa Access, alongside the state-owned Sonatel, Free (initially licensed as […] Read more

Statement | The African Internet Alliance (AIRA) is concerned about the indefinite suspension of Twitter in Nigeria. This ban is part of a growing trend that curtails freedom of expression and hampers online economic activity. AIRA urges the Nigerian Government to rescind this decision, which is arbitrary, and instead should seek alternative ways of dealing […] Read more

by Ashnah Kalemera and Edrine Wanyama | The Financial Inclusion Forum Africa, through an Africa Digital Rights Fund (ADRF) grant, has drafted a Data Protection and Privacy Policy to serve as an internal guide on how digital financial service providers in Ghana should collect, store and process individuals’ data. The ADRF is an initiative of […] Read more

By Ashnah Kalemera | A coalition of public interest lawyers has been formed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) with an aim to promote digital rights in the central African country. Comprising advocates from six cities- Bukavu, Goma, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Lubumbashi and Matadi – the coalition will provide support to members to grow […] Read more

By Daniel Mwesigwa and Thomas Robertson | Advances in innovation have ushered in new approaches to digital transformation and financial service provision. With the growth in internet connectivity in sub-Saharan Africa, emerging technologies such as blockchain and cryptocurrencies have the potential to advance financial inclusion.  Blockchain is the technology underpinning cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, […] Read more

Roundtable Meeting | In 2020, four of Africa’s leading digital companies (Safaricom, Jumia, MTN, and Naspers) were ranked and scored on digital inclusion by World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA)‘s Digital Inclusion Benchmark. These companies as well as the other benchmarked companies have business footprints in more than 30 countries in Africa. The Digital Inclusion Benchmark results showed that commitment and contribution towards digital inclusion […] Read more