By Christine Ger Ochola, with contributions from Miranda Barasa.
Refine, Reflect, Reinvent: A perfect theme for the Data Science Without Borders (DSWB) Annual General Meeting 2025 that recently took place in Dakar, Senegal. The meeting brought together stakeholders from all around the continent and beyond for three days of collaboration, innovation, and strategic planning. The event not only showcased Africa’s commitment to leveraging data science to achieve revolutionary health outcomes, but it also promoted discussions about progress, challenges, and prospects for a data-driven society.
Pathfinder institutions from Ethiopia, Cameroon, and Senegal shared progress on data exploration and mapping, capacity building, and digitization, while technical partners showcased innovations in data harmonization, open science, and responsible AI.
The meeting emphasized the importance of good data governance and infrastructure to maximize the potential of digital health systems across Africa and beyond. Other major considerations for developing health data ecosystems included standardized vocabularies, data-sharing agreements, and strong privacy safeguards. Expanding data science projects across the continent, particularly in Francophone countries, was identified as a top priority for ensuring inclusive growth.
The role of data in driving self-sustainability was also discussed during the meeting, with emphasis placed on domestic financing, stronger privacy protections, and enhanced local capacity to manage and use data effectively. It was also noted that infrastructural gaps continue to persist, particularly for institutions that are shifting from paper-based to digital systems. The DSWB Pathfinder and Partner institutions shared their experiences in developing strong data ecosystems in Africa and identified key areas for improvement.
DSWB’s objective continues to be on the development of a skilled workforce through targeted capacity building. A needs assessment highlighted institutional data capabilities that fell into three categories: proactive, stable, and reactive, and identified existing gaps in data science concepts that require additional training. DSWB has played a critical role in empowering researchers in the three African institutions in concepts around data standardization and harmonization, AI, machine learning, and data governance. A harmonized approach to training and mentorship across sites was identified as a priority for scaling impact.
Discussions about Africa-specific AI models stressed the necessity of tackling biases in healthcare algorithms and providing openness and explainability in AI-powered systems. A major shift in attitude was also observed, with data being treated as a renewable asset that can drive continual innovation and improved healthcare outcomes rather than an unlimited resource.
The Health Information Exchange (HIE) was recognized as a crucial tool for integrating health systems and enabling real-time data sharing. Efforts by the Africa CDC to promote interoperability through standardized guidelines, assessment frameworks, and national data strategies are gaining momentum. The success of national platforms demonstrated the potential for cross-sectoral collaboration and strengthened health data management.
Additionally, leveraging insights from the needs assessment conducted during the past year was identified as critical for designing future interventions. The assessment provided valuable insights into infrastructure and capacity gaps, ensuring that upcoming initiatives align with institutional needs. There are also opportunities to scale this assessment across more institutions to broaden its impact.
Supporting MSc and PhD students within the project emerged as another key priority. Their research presentations at the AGM highlighted the potential for cutting-edge research within the DSWB network. Moving forward, structured mentorship, funding, and collaboration opportunities will be developed to ensure their success and meaningful contributions to data science innovation in Africa.
Strengthening partnerships was emphasized as a strategy to enhance impact and sustainability. As DSWB moves forward, developing and strengthening strategic relationships with key stakeholders—including governments, academic institutions, funding agencies, and the private sector—will be crucial. There was also a call to identify new joint grant opportunities that leverage multi-country diversity and community research priorities, with upcoming funding calls being explored for potential applications.
The AGM also reinforced the importance of aligning DSWB with similar continental projects and initiatives. Discussions focused on increasing visibility and deepening partnerships with organizations such as CODATA, DSI Africa, and Deep Learning Indaba to further expand the reach and impact of the initiative.
A final major takeaway was the need to develop tangible DSWB-led innovations and products. This will be a priority in the coming year, with innovations supported through student projects. Pathfinder institutions were urged to support DSWB fellows in their data requests to ensure meaningful research and product development.
As the second year begins, the DSWB community is committed to tackling challenges in data sharing, infrastructure, and capacity building. This includes strengthening governance frameworks, investing in digital infrastructure, enhancing AI and machine learning training, fostering cross-institutional collaboration, developing innovative data products, and exploring funding opportunities to support long-term sustainability. The DSWB Annual General Meeting reaffirmed Africa’s potential to lead in data science and health innovation. By embracing collaboration, ethical data use, and cutting-edge technology, Africa is well-positioned to transform its healthcare landscape. The journey continues with a shared commitment to building a stronger, data-driven future.