Navigating the future of Data Governance in Africa: Insights from DataFest Africa 2024

The 2024 edition of DataFest Africa was a monumental event for the data governance community from across Africa. Under the theme “Opportunities for all: Harnessing Data and Technology for Africa’s Transformation”, DataFest Africa brought together innovators, data scientists, technopreneurs, creatives, and academia to share their innovative ideas, experiences, and transformative contributions to different sectors such as climate change, gender, health, agriculture, and sustainable development.

“Gathering at DataFestAfrica 2024 means that we recognize the transformative power of data and technology in shaping Africa’s development trajectory and that it should involve everyone from the different sectors to unlock its potential’’, said Yossra Kallali, the Senior Advocacy Officer at NIYEL.

The event was dedicated to exploring the latest trends and challenges in data governance. As we navigate an era where data is both a valuable asset and a potential risk, the insights from this conference were eye-opening and incredibly timely.

“The rapid evolution of data technologies demands our constant vigilance. As we convene at DataFest Africa, we’re reminded that data is a powerful tool for societal progress and a potential avenue for harm. Our discussions here, from responsible data use to ethical AI adoption, are not just timely but essential for shaping a future where data governance is a catalyst for positive change across Africa.” said Phillip Ayazika, the Director of Programs at Pollicy

In line with DataFest Africa, Pollicy, and Niyel co-facilitated a MasterClass on Data governance, in collaboration with the Africa Data Governance Hub Advisory Council Members. Here is a recap of the key takeaways from the conference and the MasterClass and what they mean for the future of data governance.

The conference started with a deep dive into the current state of data governance in Africa, about existing data governance frameworks at continental and regional levels such as African Union Data Policy Framework, the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (AU Convention), the Supplementary Act on Personal Data Protection Within the ECOWAS (ECOWAS ACT), Southern African Development Community (SADC) Model Law on Data Protection and the East African Community (EAC) Legal Framework for Cyberlaws 2008. The discussion emphasized how these frameworks are evolving to meet the demands of a rapidly changing digital landscape. Gone are the days when data governance was solely about compliance and risk management. Today, it’s about creating value and driving innovation while ensuring data is managed responsibly. Data privacy and ethics were central themes throughout the conference. The discussion highlighted the need for a balanced approach that safeguards privacy while enabling the responsible use of data for innovation.

To kick off the MasterClass, we set the stage by discussing the foundational importance of data governance in shaping cultural change in societies, developing robust policies and standards for managing data, and ensuring privacy, security, and regulatory compliance. The MasterClass highlighted the predominant challenges that different stakeholders face in providing effective data governance such as lack of transparency and openness of different proceedings, barriers to participation among end users, such as prohibitive membership fees, which inhibit participation and reduce trust and existing stereotypes among citizens on the use of their data. To curb these challenges, the session outlined solutions such as clear and comprehensive data protection laws and regulations that align with international standards, investing in training programs to build the capacity of people and institutions working on data, enhancing data infrastructure, including improving internet connectivity and access to reliable electricity, promoting transparency and accountability, community engagement, facilitating data sharing among the different sectors and monitoring and evaluation to assess the effectiveness of data governance policies.

One of the highlights of the MasterClass was the inclusion of real-world case studies. We examined how various organizations/institutions have successfully implemented data governance practices and the challenges they faced along the way. Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman, a Senior Lecturer in the Software Engineering and Information Technology Department, at Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, facilitated this session. It was designed to provide practical insights and inspire participants to think creatively about their data governance strategies.

Case Study: University A (UA)-Data Governance for Higher Education

The University A (UA) system comprises multiple campuses and serves hundreds of thousands of students. Managing student data, research data, and administrative data across such a large system posed significant data governance challenges. Some of these challenges are the following:

• Decentralized Data Management: Each campus had its data management practices, leading to inconsistencies and difficulties in data sharing.
• Data Privacy: Protecting student and research data privacy while ensuring compliance with regulations such as FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) was critical.
• Data Integration: Integrating data from various sources for comprehensive analysis was a significant challenge due to differing data standards and formats.
• Resource Constraints: Limited resources for implementing and maintaining data governance initiatives across the entire university system.

The UA established a data governance council comprising representatives from all campuses to oversee and coordinate data governance efforts. This council developed common data governance policies and standards. The council worked on creating standardized data definitions and metadata across the university system to ensure consistency. The university introduced a data stewardship program where designated data stewards were responsible for managing and ensuring the quality of data within their domains. They have conducted regular training sessions for staff and faculty on data privacy and security best practices to ensure compliance with regulations.

The University A system improved data consistency, quality, and security across all campuses. The standardized data governance practices enabled better data-driven decision-making and compliance with regulatory requirements. This collaborative approach also fostered a culture of data stewardship and accountability throughout the university system.

Speakers highlighted that successful data governance starts with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. Data stewards, data owners, and data custodians, each play a critical role in ensuring data is accurate, accessible, and secure. Additionally, implementing a data governance framework requires a commitment to continuous improvement and regular monitoring.

Key Recommendations from DataFest Africa 2024

The three-day conference hosted a diverse set of sessions ranging from panel discussions to workshops to case study sessions on a wide range of topics. Based on the MasterClass discussions, and as we look ahead, several actionable takeaways emerged from the conference, particularly in the realms of sector-agnostic data governance and digital health. These include;

• Establishing a clear and comprehensive data governance framework that outlines roles, responsibilities, policies, and procedures.
• Ensuring that data governance practices are aligned with relevant data protection regulations and standards, including human rights implications of digital governance.
• Integrating ethical considerations and privacy practices into data governance strategies to ensure responsible data use and protect individual rights.
• Conducting more awareness campaigns, dialogues, and initiatives that ensure marginalized communities are benefiting from technological advancements, and have actual access to technology and digital tools, involving local stakeholders in the design, development, and implementation processes.
• Digital health solutions hold the potential to address some of the most pressing healthcare challenges that we face in Africa today, particularly in mental health.
• Upskilling to make sure that artificial intelligence is adopted by all generations while still upholding data privacy.
• For data to benefit Africa’s development globally, it must be able to flow freely. Safety measures and legal regulations must be created to ensure that cross-border data flows freely while respecting human rights and protecting privacy.
• Partnering with local health systems and providing affordable, cost-effective solutions are key to maximizing impact and accessibility.
• Fostering a culture of data-driven decision-making in the healthcare sector is important to ensure that health data is used to inform policy and practice.

This blog was written by Niyel & Pollicy — The Africa Data Governance Hub