The African Union Commission has launched a four-day validation workshop in Addis Ababa to review and finalize the Continental Data Governance Frameworks—pivotal instruments aimed at accelerating Africa’s Digital Single Market (DSM) by 2030. The workshop brings together experts from AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities, and international partners to validate frameworks on Data Categorisation & Sharing, Cross-Border Data Flows, and the Continental Open Data Strategy.
Running from December 1–4, the workshop marks a key milestone in implementing the AU Data Policy Framework (AUDPF), adopted in 2022, and supports the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (DTS). The initiative aims to harmonise fragmented national data regulations and build a unified, secure, and innovation-friendly continental data ecosystem.
Opening the session, Souhila Amazouz, Officer in Charge of the AU’s Information Society Division, underscored the foundational role of data in Africa’s economic future. She noted that responsible, ethical, and inclusive data governance is critical to ensuring all Africans benefit from the continent’s growing digital economy.
Africa’s digital transformation—augmented by the operationalisation of the AfCFTA—is projected to unlock a USD 3.85 billion data centre market by 2030, and potentially add up to USD 712 billion to the continent’s economy through innovation, youth-driven entrepreneurship, and improved data-driven services.
The three draft frameworks under validation are designed to:
- Establish common data classification and sharing standards
- Enable secure and trusted cross-border data flows
- Promote open data policies that strengthen transparency, AI development, and socio-economic innovation
The workshop is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union, AUDA-NEPAD, and GIZ, under the Data Governance in Africa Initiative.
Dr. Tobias Thiel, Director of the GIZ Office to the African Union, emphasized that these frameworks are essential to building a trusted, interoperable, and rights-respecting data ecosystem across the continent.
Outcomes from the workshop will be submitted to AU policy organs for adoption, bringing Africa closer to an integrated Digital Single Market built on transparency, accountability, and equitable access to data-driven opportunities.
