By Christine Ger Ochola and Miranda Barasa with contributions from Ann Waithaka
As the rest of the world races ahead in digitization, Africa still faces widening gaps that could impact its ability to compete globally. Yet, within these challenges lies an opportunity: to craft a digital future that is designed for Africa, by Africans.
It is this vision that drove the inaugural Africa Digital Parliamentary Summit (ADPS), co-hosted by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), the Pan African Parliament (PAP), and GSMA Africa. The summit, held in Lusaka, Zambia, from July 7-11, 2025, brought together Members of Parliament from across Africa, researchers, and private sector leaders to explore how evidence and legislation can unlock Africa’s digital potential.
Two flagship reports informed the discussions:
- The Digital Health in Sub-Saharan Africa Report highlights the critical role of reliable electricity, accessible data systems, and affordable 4G/5G connectivity in driving health innovations. With digital health projected to grow by $6.5 billion by 2030, parliaments must endorse governance frameworks, data privacy protections, and digital literacy initiatives.
- The GSMA Smart Manufacturing Report Underscores Africa’s under-2% contribution to global manufacturing output despite its resource and labor advantages. To unlock this potential, the report urges policymakers to integrate Industry 4.0 into national strategies, streamline regulations, and encourage adoption.
Together, these reports offered data-driven insights that grounded the summit in Africa’s realities while pointing toward global opportunities.
Equipping Parliamentarians for the Digital Era
A central theme of the summit was strengthening the capacity of African parliamentarians to legislate effectively in a digital age. Practical training sessions on artificial intelligence (AI) and data protection exposed legislators to both the promise and risks of these tools.
For health systems, AI can transform diagnostics, forecasting, and service delivery, but only with robust safeguards to protect patient data and ensure equity. Digital health, in particular, emerged as a priority at the summit. Projections indicate that it could add $6.5 billion to Africa’s healthcare economy by 2030. Beyond improving care, digital health represents a growing economic sector for the continent; however, unlocking this potential will require sustained investment, adherence to ethical standards, and supportive governance frameworks.
For research, sound data governance frameworks are essential to enable secure sharing, interoperability, and ethical use of African data for African priorities. By equipping political actors with practical knowledge, ADPS created a platform for legislators to engage meaningfully with complex issues shaping Africa’s digital future.
From Dialogue to Action
The outcomes of the 2025 summit are captured in the Lusaka Declaration, a forward-looking document that outlines shared priorities for Africa’s digital transformation. These include equipping parliamentarians with the knowledge and tools they need to legislate responsibly, safeguarding the rights and data of citizens, and encouraging African nations to ratify and domesticate the Malabo Convention, a key policy instrument for cybersecurity and data protection.
Centering African Evidence in Policymaking
At APHRC, we recognize the importance of bringing African evidence into the African policymaking spaces and ensuring that Africa’s unique challenges and opportunities are placed at the center of continental dialogue. The Center is dedicated to advancing the Africa Digital Policy Strategy (ADPS) goals. A premier research institution, APHRC provides policymakers with insights to achieve inclusive, forward-thinking results for citizens.
APHRC’s initiatives, such as Data Science Without Borders (DSWB), Implementation Network for Sharing Population Information from Research Entities (INSPIRE), the Mental Health Data Prize Africa (MHDPA), and the Data Architecture Systems and Standards for Africa (DASSA), have demonstrated how data science, AI, and innovation can strengthen systems and inform policy. The summit, therefore, presented a timely and necessary platform to align legislative priorities with the fast pace of digital innovation and to center African voices in shaping a future that works for the continent.
Looking Ahead
Africa’s digital journey is complex, but the momentum is clear. In many ways, the summit marks a turning point in recognizing that Africa’s digital future must be designed for Africa, by Africa, with policy frameworks that are inclusive, ethical, and responsive to the continent’s unique needs. By creating space for dialogue between parliamentarians, researchers, technologists, and industry experts, ADPS lays a foundation for more inclusive and holistic policymaking.
Africa is not simply reacting to digital change; it is beginning to shape it. And with the right partnerships, grounded in evidence and guided by a shared vision, we believe this transformation can be both sustainable and transformative.