Promoting Effective and Inclusive ICT Policy in Africa

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  HomeCollaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA)  /  Data privacy
29Dec

 Dr. Abdul Busuulwa

Author CIPESA Posted on

Abdul Busuulwa has over 25 years of working experience in social development, training NGOs, conducting research, engaging in human rights advocacy, and promoting accessible ICTs for persons with disabilities. He is a lecturer at Kyambogo University in the Department of Community and Disability Studies, where I teach several courses, supervise and coordinate research, and train future professionals in Community Development and Social Justice, Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR), disability studies, and inclusive development. He served as the Executive Director of CBR Africa Network (CAN), a regional organisation dedicated to networking and sharing information on community-based rehabilitation, disability inclusion, and advocacy across the African continent, from 2017 to 2020.

29Dec

Berhanu Belay Wondimagegne

Author CIPESA Posted on

Berhanu Belay Wondimagegne is a teacher, a disability rights advocate, and a community servant with over five decades of experience. He is the Executive Director at TOGETHER, an Ethiopian civil society organisation that works to empower persons with disabilities through access to information, technology, education, and integrated community development measures.

29Dec

Sarah Kekeli Akunor

Author CIPESA Posted on

Sarah Kekeli Akunor is a young woman with visual impairment. She recently graduated from the University of Ghana with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Philosophy. Sarah is a member of the Mastercard Foundation’s Alumni Network Committee, serving as the lead for Inclusion, Gender, and Safeguard. She also oversees a Disability Inclusion Facilitator under the Mastercard Foundation’s ‘We Can Work’ programme. She serves as an interim executive for the newly inaugurated Ghana Youth Federation, and she also holds the position of Secretary for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion. Sarah holds a certificate in Disability Leadership in Internet Governance and Digital Rights from the Internet Society (ISOC).

15Dec

Inform Africa Expands OSINT Training and DISARM-Based Research With CIPESA

Author CIPESA Posted on

ADRF |

Information integrity work is only as strong as the methods behind it. In Ethiopia’s fast-changing information environment, fact-checkers and researchers are expected to move quickly while maintaining accuracy, transparency, and ethical care. Inform Africa has expanded two practical capabilities to address this reality: advanced OSINT-based fact-checking training and structured disinformation research using the DISARM framework, in collaboration with the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA).

This work was advanced with support from the Africa Digital Rights Fund (ADRF), administered by CIPESA. At a time when many civic actors face uncertainty, the fund’s adaptable support helped Inform Africa sustain day-to-day operations and protect continuity, while still investing in verification and research methods designed to endure beyond a single project cycle.

The collaboration with CIPESA was not only administrative. It was anchored in shared priorities around digital rights, information integrity, and capacity building. Through structured coordination and learning exchange, CIPESA provided a partnership channel that strengthened the work’s clarity and relevance, and helped position the outputs as reusable methods that can be applied beyond a single team. The collaboration also reinforced a regional ecosystem approach: improving practice in one context while keeping the methods legible for peer learning, adaptation, and future joint work.

The implementation followed a phased timetable across the project activity period from April through November 2025. Early work focused on scoping and method design, aligning the training and research approaches with practical realities in newsrooms and civil society. Mid-phase work concentrated on developing the OSINT module and applying DISARM as a structured research lens, with iterative refinement as materials matured. The final phase focused on consolidation, documentation discipline, and packaging the outputs to support repeatable use, including onboarding, internal training, and incident review workflows.

A central focus has been an advanced OSINT training module built to move beyond tool familiarity into a complete verification workflow. Verification is treated as a chain of decisions that must be consistent and auditable: how to intake a claim, determine whether it is fact-checkable, plan the evidence, trace sources, verify images and videos, confirm the place and time, and document each step clearly enough for an editor or peer to reproduce the work. The aim is not only to reach accurate conclusions but also to show the route taken, including which evidence was prioritized and how uncertainty was handled.

This documentation discipline is not bureaucracy. It is a trust technology. In high-risk information environments, preserved sources, verification logs, and clear decision trails protect credibility, strengthen editorial oversight, and reduce avoidable errors. The module prioritizes hands-on, production-style assignments that mirror real newsroom constraints and trains participants to avoid overclaiming, communicate uncertainty responsibly, and present evidence in ways that non-expert audiences can follow.

In parallel, Inform Africa has applied the DISARM framework to disinformation research. DISARM provides a shared language for describing influence activity through observable behaviors and techniques, without drifting into assumptions. The priority has been to remain evidence-bound: collecting and preserving artifacts responsibly, maintaining a structured evidence log, reducing harm by avoiding unnecessary reproduction of inflammatory content, and avoiding claims of attribution beyond what the evidence supports. This DISARM-informed approach has improved internal briefs, strengthened consistency, and made incidents easier to compare over time and across partners.

Three lessons stand out from this work with CIPESA and ADRF. First, quality scales through workflow, not only through talent. Second, evidence discipline is a strategic choice that protects credibility and reduces harm in both fact-checking and research. Third, shared frameworks reduce friction by improving clarity and consistency across teams. Looking ahead, Inform Africa will integrate the OSINT module into routine training and onboarding and continue to apply DISARM-informed analysis in future incident reviews and deeper studies, reinforcing information integrity as a public good.

This article was first published by Informa Africa on December 15, 2025

15Dec

How CIPESA Is Supporting Harmonised Data Governance in African Countries

Author CIPESA Posted on

By Juliet Nanfuka |

Across the world, larger amounts of data are being collected than ever before. For instance, massive volumes of data are being collected by national identity systems and mandatory SIM card registration exercises, as well as by private actors, including through online platforms and mobile devices. However, in many African countries data governance structures remain lacking, fuelling various concerns such as data breaches and surveillance.

Over the course of 2025, CIPESA has undertaken extensive work alongside the GIZ DataCipation programme and the African Union to support countries and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to collaboratively develop data governance policies that are progressive and rights-respecting.

The various engagements, which were guided by the African Union Data Policy Framework (AUDPF), also involved building the capacity of regulators, policymakers, and other stakeholders in devising and implementing data governance policies that promote socio-economic transformation and regional integration.

Adopted in 2022, the AUDPF offers a harmonised set of principles to guide African states in governing data safely, fairly, and effectively, as it provides a continental vision for protecting personal rights, enabling cross-border data flows, unlocking socio-economic value, and fostering interoperable digital systems. CIPESA has long advocated for African countries to adopt the AUDPF as a common benchmark to guide data policies that strengthen accountability and foster trust between governments and citizens.

The inaugural capacity building workshop to build the capacity of judges and senior staff of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) on data governance, was held in March 2025, in Kigali, Rwanda. The training aimed to enhance court officials’ understanding of the AUDPF and its implications for national and regional data governance, as well as the need for harmonised data governance policies within the East African Community (EAC).

As East Africa moves into a regional economy, the EACJ might be faced with a number of challenges in its operations. There are cases in national courts related to data governance, and if the EACJ is not aware of what is going on in the digital space, it might not be able to handle such cases should they come before the court.” Hon. Justice Nestor Kayobera,  President of the EACJ

This was followed by another training in April 2025 in Kampala, Uganda for members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). At a time when the eight-member regional bloc was developing a harmonised data policy legislation, this training strengthened the capacity of members and staff of the regional parliament in the areas of data governance, data protection, and related legislative and policy issues.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has similarly embarked on developing a Regional Data Governance Framework. In September, CIPESA supported training for more than 50 regulators and policymakers from 16 SADC countries in Madagascar, on harmonising data protection frameworks to support cross-border data flows and regional trade.

At the country level, CIPESA has supported capacity development as well as data governance policy development. In July 2025, a consultative workshop in the capital Maseru brought together more than 60 stakeholders from the Lesotho government, civil society, academia, and the private sector to review the country’s draft Data Management Policy and align it with the AUDPF. The workshop developed a roadmap towards building a more progressive data governance policy framework, with various revisions being made to the Data Management Policy. In October, the policy was validated at a multi-stakeholder engagement led by the Ministry of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation, alongside the AU, GIZ, and CIPESA.

In November 2025, CIPESA supported capacity building in Liberia for government ministries, civil society organisations, and private sector representatives at a two-day workshop in Monrovia. The engagement, which was convened by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, CIPESA, and the AU, explored how data could support Liberia’s digital transformation and the need to align the country’s laws and policies with continental and global frameworks.

Additionally, CIPESA is supporting the government of Liberia to develop a Data Governance Policy that is aligned to the AUDPF. In this regard, a separate two-day multi-stakeholder consultation was held to inform the content of the prospective policy, which is anticipated to be completed early in 2026. The consultation marked a critical step in Liberia’s ongoing efforts to establish a coherent national framework for data governance, protection, and utilisation.

Also in November, CIPESA supported capacity building in Uganda for 81 policymakers, regulators, civil society, and private sector actors. In partnership with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, the Personal Data Protection Office, GIZ and AU, in Kampala, Uganda. Participants explored foundational elements of data governance, including data infrastructure, data value creation, standards, trust mechanisms, and institutional arrangements. Participants discussed regulatory approaches, institutional structures, and capacity-building strategies necessary for Uganda to harness data responsibly and efficiently.

Meanwhile, various global settings have also served as platforms to further deliberate and contribute to the global discourse on data governance in Africa. At the June 2025 Internet Governance Forum held in Norway, a collaborative session hosted by CIPESA, GIZ, and The Republic of The Gambia saw discussions on how fragmented national regulations and inconsistent privacy and cybersecurity standards pose challenges to regional and global cooperation.

Similarly at the September 2025 Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica25) hosted by CIPESA, various sessions discussed data governance as central to Africa’s digitalisation efforts. Across multiple sessions, speakers underscored the growing recognition that how data is governed will shape the continent’s democratic, economic, and social futures. Notably, the European Union (EU) Delegation to Namibia emphasised its continued commitment to investing in digital infrastructure, strengthening democratic governance, and advancing a human-centric digital transformation through the Global Gateway strategy.

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