To create a vibrant market for the use of data, while still protecting the individual rights of those on the continent, Africa must lead the way in developing its data strategy and data governance framework. This data governance framework should account for the continent’s unique characteristics while addressing gaps in digitization, identity, and access to data across countries. This background paper discusses the key features of an effective data governance framework within an African context; it identifies the key dimensions that merit consideration in this regard; and it describes the principles that should animate such a system for governing how data is deployed on the continent.
