Africa’s digital transformations are unfolding against the backdrop of global competition between major global actors, including China, the United States, and Europe. Amidst this dynamic, the continent’s own agency is a crucial element that should not be overlooked.
Workers are pictured inside Digital Market, a store selling smartphones and accessories, while selling a smartphone to a customer, in Deux Plateaux, an area of Abidjan, Ivory Coast October 15, 2024.
© picture alliance / REUTERS | Luc Gnago
Africa’s digital transformations are unfolding against the backdrop of global competition between major global actors, including China, the United States, and Europe. Amidst this dynamic, the continent’s own agency is a crucial element that should not be overlooked. In a recent hybrid workshop organized by Megatrends Afrika and the Digital Transformation Lab (DigiTral), experts came together to discuss Africa’s digital landscape, focussing on the influence of diverse global players as well as Africa’s own unique strengths in shaping its digital future.
Africa’s digital transformation is a highly dynamic process that varies significantly between countries: Impressive progress often contrasts with major inequalities. Despite increasing internet and mobile phone penetration (for instance, in sub-Saharan Africa, 88.6 per cent of the population had mobile phone subscriptions in 2022, and 35 per cent of the population was online in 2021), the continent still lags behind global averages. Notably, digital skills development levels are often low, and many countries are still struggling to prepare their workforce for the digital age. Nevertheless, African governments have recognized the importance of adapting to the digital future and are open to new digital partnerships.
Simultaneously, various global powers are vying for influence in Africa’s digital landscape, launching multiple initiatives to enhance collaboration. China has placed itself at the forefront of this competition through its Digital Silk Road (DSR) initiative, which serves as the digital arm of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The DSR covers a range of sectors, including telecommunications, e-commerce, e-governance, and surveillance technologies. It has become a flagship project of the Chinese Communist Party, solidifying its importance within the broader BRI strategy. Although often seen as a top-down, state-driven project, China’s involvement in Africa’s digital landscape includes a diverse range of actors, who collaborate and compete, yet their collaboration is sometimes also marked by a lack of coordination, a result of the phenomenon known as “fragmented authoritarianism”. In general, the DSR presents an attractive option for many African countries, offering fast and pragmatic financing, often without the political conditions typically attached to Western aid.
China’s role as a key provider of digital infrastructure in Africa has led European countries and the United States to reassess their partnerships with the continent, particularly amid growing competition over digital norms such as data privacy and freedom of expression. Western powers increasingly view China’s digital footprint in Africa as a strategic challenge, if not a direct threat. Some responses, for example US restrictions on Chinese companies such as Huawei, reflect concerns over Beijing’s influence. China’s growing role in digital infrastructure, particularly in Africa, has raised the fear that China may export its model of internet governance and surveillance, and with that its values, which contrast sharply with Western principles of data protection and privacy.
The workshop also raised the question concerning the extent to which Europe and the United States can collaborate with China, or whether they serve as a natural counterbalance to the Chinese model. Although cooperation in some technology-driven solutions – especially for challenges such as climate change and food security – seems logical, rivalry in areas such as surveillance and cybersecurity appears inevitable. This is due to the fundamentally different approaches and interests that define these areas: Whereas China pursues a centralized, authoritarian approach accompanied by strong commercial interests and extensive state control in strategic market sectors such as information and communication technology (ICT), the European Union as well as the United States are committed to data protection, transparency, individual rights, and a market that is predominantly shaped and regulated by private companies. These differences inevitably lead to tensions and competition.
Both the EU and the United States have developed alternative approaches to China’s DSR in 2021 and 2022 to strengthen their presence in the digital sphere in Africa. In 2021, the EU launched its Global Gateway initiative, which aims to promote high-quality and sustainable infrastructure projects in partner countries. Similar to China’s BRI strategy, digitalization plays a central role in the Global Gateway and is one of the five priority investment areas, alongside energy and climate, transport, health, and education and research. In 2023 and 2024, the majority of investments were made in energy and climate, followed by transport and digitalization. Through the Global Gateway initiative, the EU strives to offer its partners an alternative economic and political model to China’s, or, in the area of digitalization, an alternative to the DSR initiative. The EU’s investments in the digital sector aim not only to enhance technological connectivity but also to promote democratic values and fundamental digital rights. Through these investments, the EU is promoting projects that drive digital transformation while upholding European values. Priority is given to underserved regions to close the digital divide by expanding fiber-optic networks and secure communication systems. The initiative also attaches great importance to environmental sustainability, high cybersecurity standards, and measures to protect personal data and trustworthy artificial intelligence.
The United States, for its part, is stepping up its engagement with the Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative, announced by President Joe Biden in December 2022, which aims to promote digital access and education. This initiative is supported by various US government agencies and focusses on digital economy, human capital development, and an enabling digital environment. It foresees investments of more than 800 million USD. Key objectives include closing the digital divide by expanding mobile networks and broadband, promoting local smartphone production, and supporting innovation through funding and networks for African start-ups. In addition, the DTA plans to remove regulatory barriers to promote the seamless trade of digital services between the United States and Africa. To have a sustainable impact, collaboration with African professionals and the African diaspora is fundamental. These groups act as a bridge between the United States and African countries by implementing projects on the ground and adapting them to local conditions. Their active involvement ensures that programmes and measures are tailored to the knowledge and needs of the African population and enable long-term success.
Great power competition might be unavoidable, but it also risks overlooking African agency. The role of African players and local digital industries should not be underestimated. African nations take a proactive approach to technology, using it purposefully and engaging in partnerships that align with their strategic interests. In this way, the continent is increasingly looking beyond traditional partnerships and exploring relationships with other countries, such as China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and others. This search for diverse partnerships reflects a desire to expand their options and pursue interests independently rather than feeling forced to choose between China and the West – a narrative often promoted by foreign powers to secure their own influence.
During the workshop, the question arose as to why Africa should have to make a binary choice at all, suggesting that a multi-aligned strategy could be more advantageous. By maintaining flexibility, African countries could negotiate better terms, securing resources and technologies that best address their unique challenges. However, some speakers cautioned Western observers not to interpret Africa’s pursuit of the best deals as rejection, but rather as a positive step towards strengthening African sovereignty and decision-making freedom. Another reading, of course, sees the perils of multi-alignment, especially with regard to the robustness and longevity of such arrangements.
One key outcome of the workshop was the emphasis on the importance of local digital industries. Africa needs to invest more in home-grown digital solutions to address specific challenges, reduce dependencies on foreign technology, and retain talent at home. Kenya exemplifies this by showing how a proactive approach to digital development can both meet national needs and interests and inspire other countries. The country has one of the most advanced digital ecosystems on the continent, characterized by rapid advances in digital infrastructure, a dynamic start-up scene, and a thriving culture of innovation. However, Kenya also still faces numerous challenges: There is a lack of sufficient funding for the digital sector, and despite the multitude of innovations, there is a lack of overarching institutional frameworks to sustainably support this progress. All of this makes the scaling up of new companies and entire sectors difficult. Nevertheless, some panellists argued that Kenya is proactively shaping its digital future by designing targeted digital policies tailored to the country’s specific needs and interests. This approach enables Kenya to maintain control over its digital landscape, ensuring that technological advancements align with the challenges and priorities of its population. Kenya’s pivotal role on the African continent was emphasized, highlighting the country as a potential role model and regional multiplier for neighbouring countries.
Kenya was also highlighted as an example of how social media can play a crucial role in organizing protests. This became particularly evident in response to the proposed finance bill of 2024, which sought to raise 346 billion KES through tax increases to help pay off debt and fund development projects. The bill sparked widespread public protests, especially under Generation Z, due to concerns over the increased tax burden on Kenyans. Panellists pointed out that platforms such as X, TikTok, and the walkie-talkie app Zello were essential for mobilizing demonstrators and facilitating communication. This digital activism was largely leaderless, decentralized, and driven by a collective sense of urgency among the youth. Ultimately, the increasing public pressure – partly attributed to social media mobilization – led President William Ruto to decline signing the bill into law.
In addition to the potential of digital technologies to mobilize citizens, the workshop also highlighted their potential to promote transparency in government. The use of social media and e-government can improve communication between governments and citizens and create a more interactive relationship. This dynamic could help address governance challenges by fostering trust between citizens and institutions. Thus, digital tools enable better access to information and improve the interaction between governments and citizens, which further strengthens transparency in this relationship.
Overall, the workshop made it clear that Africa’s digital transformation offers both immense opportunities and significant challenges. The success of this transformation hinges on African countries’ ability to effectively leverage global partnerships while cultivating robust local industries.
Ann-Kathrin Schumann studies International Relations and Development Policy at the University of Duisburg-Essen with a research focus on China-Africa relations. She was a student assistant of Megatrends Afrika at IDOS.
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