As more countries pursue their digital transformation ambitions, the technology sector increasingly offers a path forward for economic development; technologies such as AI, cloud computing, and software development are projected to contribute USD1.5 trillion to the continent’s GDP by 2030. However, the digital divide continues to threaten women and girls’ ability to participate equitably in an increasingly technology-driven world.  This heightens the need to ensure opportunities for young women’s economic empowerment in a region already burdened by a youth unemployment crisis.

The article below leans on PIN’s digital skills training work across the region,  findings from our latest report on digital rights and inclusion across 29 African countries, Londa, as well as our survivor-led study on technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), ‘Clicks That Hurt’, to explore the the region’s progress in empowering and protecting girls in ICT, measured against key World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) action lines. 

Education, training and opportunities for women and girls

According to UNESCO, the average for women graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects is only 35%, with them making up only 26% of the Data and Artificial intelligence workforce. Thus, girls and women face being left out of high-value digital spaces, as lower representation in education and then employment compounds inequalities. 

This concern is also echoed by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in the WSIS +20 review outcome document. Notably, it concedes that for many children and young people, the benefits of digitalisation have not materialised, due to inequalities in connectivity, digital literacy, equipment, skills and educational facilities.

Recognising the importance of strategic investment in crucial digital skills for the continent’s youth and particularly young girls, PIN is focused on targeted education, training, and opportunities for young people in STEM fields. Through this, the region can address the existing digital skills gap, foster innovation, and become more competitive in the global technology landscape.

To that end, since 2007, PIN has pursued a digital skills and literacy project called LIFE Legacy. The gender-responsive programme focuses on Life Skills, ICT Skills, Financial Literacy, and Entrepreneurship to enhance the livelihoods of underserved African youth. It is a training programme in essential skills, supporting participants to secure internships, freelance work, entrepreneurship, and/or other forms of post-training engagement. It is currently active in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Thus far, over 150,000 youth have benefited, with numerous success stories from young women across the continent. 

The spread of digital connectivity across Africa has created new frontiers for expression, entrepreneurship, and civic participation. However, these opportunities risk being tempered by the advent of digital spaces emerging as spaces for gendered digital exclusion, discrimination, and even violence. 

Promoting the protection of girl children online

In the WSIS+20 review outcome document, the UNGA also recognises an urgent need to address online violence against children, recognising them as some of the most active users of the Internet and online services. It affirms a commitment to strengthening legal and policy frameworks to protect children’s rights of the child in the digital space, aligning these with international human rights laws and principles. 

However, our Londa report for 2025 notes that African countries still lag significantly behind in implementing digital safety guardrails as more young people work and play online. Many have yet to amend their Children’s Acts, and Cyber Acts have yet to include digital safety with a focus on online child safety. For example, in 2025, countries like Benin, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Ethiopia lacked such laws or policies.

In a positive development,  in 2025, some countries adopted child online safety policies and strategies. In Kenya, the government issued the Child Online Protection and Safety industry guidelines, Lesotho launched its Child Online Guidelines, Tunisia adopted the National Charter for the Protection of Children Online, and in Zambia, the government focused on enhancing online safety for children through the National Child Online Protection Strategy.

In conflict-stricken countries such as the Central African Republic, the protection of children online is conducted within a broader child protection framework led by United Nations agencies (such as UNICEF and the ITU) and the government. Increasingly, they are focused on promoting digital access for young girls and on applying ITU global guidelines to create a safe online environment for children. 

In an increasingly unsafe online environment, gendered disinformation is also emerging as one of the largest barriers keeping women and girls out of the digital space, preventing their empowerment and benefiting from the region’s digital transformation. For example, for 2025, our Londa report on Ethiopia finds that women and girls face more hate speech, including gendered stereotypes and mockery, than men and boys, with an escalation of gendered attacks during the year. 

Notably, human rights activist Yordanos “Jordin” Bezabih faced repeated attacks, including the hacking of her private accounts and the leaking of intimate photos, videos, and voice recordings online. Further showing the onset of emerging technologies such as AI being used against women, the material was then used to create deepfake content accompanied by coordinated calls for violence against her. 

In Botswana, meanwhile, a significant development took place with the government finalising drafting instructions for a Gender Based Violence Bill, which recognises that technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) must be addressed, within new frameworks, as opposed to solely addressing physical violence.

TFGBV: from abstraction to accountability

It is against the backdrop of the scourge of attacks on women and girls that Paradigm Initiative set out to conduct a survivor-led study on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence across six focus countries: Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia and Zimbabwe between March and October 2025. The findings reveal that young people (aged 18-34) make up the majority of survivors of TFGBV, with more women (182) reporting abuse compared to men (92). 67% of respondents reported direct victimisation online, recording experiences such as sexual harassment, threats, stalking, non-consensual image sharing and more. Concerningly, the majority of respondents were unaware of mechanisms for redress through the platforms themselves, formal systems, or national legal routes. The result was that many survivors retreated from online life altogether.

Conclusion

As we commemorate Girls in ICT Day 2026, Paradigm Initiative commends the strides made by women and girls in actively engaging with digital technologies and in building an equitable future for themselves. We also call on national governments, civil society and technology companies to strengthen protections for girls online as we build a human-centred, safe and digital Africa. 

In particular, we encourage governments’ implementation of action lines towards the achievement of the WSIS+20 commitments, particularly those around the Review or adopt various laws focused on children and gender-based violence, to ensure they address TFGBV, combating all forms of digital violence. 

We also encourage technology companies to engage with civil society and communities for partnerships focused on gender-responsive digital skills training programmes, and the provision of affordable internet access and low-cost devices, through schools and communities, to enable more women and girls to access digital skills. 

It is also integral for online platforms to establish more robust, inclusive reporting systems to process high-risk TFGBV cases, such as threats, sexualized abuse, and image-based violence, which happen against young girls on their platforms. 

La entrada Girls in ICT Day: Protecting Every Girl, Leaving No One Behind se publicó primero en Paradigm Initiative.

A central feature of the report is the Digital Rights Score Index, which ranks African countries based on their performance across key indicators, including access to information, freedom of expression, privacy protections, and digital inclusion, among others. In this year’s edition, South Africa retained its position as the highest-ranked country, reflecting continued relative strength in its digital rights framework, while the broader index highlights both areas of improvement and persistent structural challenges across the region. The most improved countries in the ranking are Botswana and Egypt, which both improved by over nine places. This was in stark contrast to countries like Nigeria and Cameroon, which both dropped by five and ten places, respectively. On the other hand, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan all dropped in rank, placing them among the bottom five in the list. 

The launch of the Londa Report at the three-day Forum was one of a series of strategic releases that highlighted the intersection between research, advocacy, and digital innovation within the African digital rights ecosystem. Among these was the introduction of Paradigm Initiative’s Digital Rights On-Demand Learning (DROL) platform, offering free courses in digital rights and inclusion to increase awareness, and the release of a research report titled Africa Facing Down: Disinformation, which provides factual assessments of disinformation and its impact on the information ecosystem in six African countries: Benin, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal. Amongst key findings are attacks on factually accurate information taking place within a package of narratives that puts a premium on appeals to emotions and identities, the use of falsehood by some online influencers and activists who serve as opinion leaders, as well as different involvements with disinformation linked to people’s age, gender, and rural/urban demographics.

DRIF26 also featured the premiere of Paradigm Initiative’s sixth short film, The Signal, which focuses on the perils of exclusion and the lack of internet access, and their impact, especially on vulnerable people in rural communities. 

Speaking at the DRIF26 opening ceremony, ‘Gbenga Sesan, Paradigm Initiative’s Executive Director, noted that the Forum was an opportunity for introspection by all stakeholders striving to achieve an inclusive and resilient digital future. “A society is only as strong as how it treats its weakest members. Yet in the area of inclusion, we must acknowledge that many have been left behind. As a community and as a continent, we need to remain resilient. We must continuously assess where we are, because we too often assume progress without truly measuring it. Only through honest evaluation and evidence can we understand the gaps and, more importantly, take meaningful action to close them. That is the responsibility we carry forward from this Forum,” ‘Gbenga stated.

Still at the opening ceremony, Nnenna Nwakanma, Internet Governance specialist, spoke on the need to go past drafting frameworks to implementing them and adapting them to the lived realities of Africans. Bahaa El-Taweal, the Global Policy Lead on Google’s Human Rights Team, highlighted the main guiding principles in conducting human rights diligence and the need for countries to surmount obstacles to developing and sustaining digital public infrastructure. 

Meseret Melat Fassil, Legal Officer, African Union (AU), reminded delegates of the Malabo Convention, which came into force in 2023, almost a decade after it was agreed upon. Highlighting the challenges faced in implementing the Convention’s statutes, she explained that this only underscores the need for access to technology and inclusion across the African continent. 

DRIF26 featured 415 physical attendees, 112 sessions, and more than 1,000 engagements on the online event management platform over three days. Taken together, the launch of the Londa Report, the unveiling of the DROL platform, and the premiere of The Signal reflect a broader commitment within the digital rights community to move beyond analysis alone, toward building practical tools, narratives, and evidence bases that can inform policy, strengthen advocacy, and support a more open, secure, and inclusive digital future across Africa.

The 2027 edition of the Forum will take place in Nigeria from the 13th to the 15th of April, 2026.

La entrada [Press Release] Londa report 2025: winners and losers in Africa’s latest digital rights index revealed se publicó primero en Paradigm Initiative.

The development-based optimism was on full display at the AI Impact Summit in India, held in Delhi between 16 to 21 of February, where political leaders, technology executives, and investors gathered to discuss how artificial intelligence could reshape the global economy. Paradigm Initiative sent a 3 person delegation to the summit.  The message from the main stage was clear. AI is no longer experimental. It is becoming a central force in industry, governance and everyday life.

Yet the summit also revealed a quieter tension devoid of human rights as a priority. While the event was framed as a conversation about impact, much of the discussion focused on investment, market expansion and geopolitical positioning. The harder questions about inequality, governance and long-term risks received far less attention. The salient soft approach to human rights gave a trade-off with terms like safety and responsibility being the overacrching terms that steered conversations. This gap matters because the global starting point for AI adoption is far from equal.

A glimpse of the Global AI Divide

Recent international assessments of AI readiness show a stark divide between advanced economies and much of the Global South. Wealthier countries score far higher across measures of digital infrastructure, human capital, innovation capacity and regulatory frameworks. Emerging markets and low-income countries trail significantly behind.

These differences are not minor technical details. They shape which countries can realistically build and govern AI systems and which will depend on technologies developed elsewhere.

Digital infrastructure is the first obstacle. Connectivity has expanded rapidly in many regions, but affordability remains a major barrier. In parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, mobile data can consume a large share of average income. Even where network coverage exists, millions of people remain offline because regular internet use is simply too expensive.

Infrastructure gaps go beyond connectivity. Reliable electricity remains inconsistent in many areas, including schools expected to adopt digital learning tools. When basic systems such as power and internet access are still uneven, deploying advanced AI solutions becomes difficult to sustain at scale.

In the age of AI, data extractivism surfaces as a major concern as big tech companies harvest large datasets, often from public web content, user interactions and especially from communities in the Global South, to train AI models and generate economic value with little consent, compensation or local benefit.

Human capital presents another challenge. Artificial intelligence relies on skilled engineers, researchers and data specialists. Yet many countries face deep shortages in technical education. Across several African countries, only a small share of young people possess basic computer skills. Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics (STEM) graduation rates remain low and the current pace of training would take decades to produce the workforce needed for large-scale AI development.

Gender disparities make the situation more complex. Women remain significantly underrepresented in engineering and technology fields in many regions. That imbalance limits both the size and diversity of the talent pool and shapes who participates in designing the technologies that will influence society.

Innovation capacity is another dividing line. Countries that invest heavily in research and development tend to produce their own technologies and companies. Many lower-income economies do not yet have that ecosystem. Limited financing for startups, smaller research budgets, and weaker links between universities and industry mean that local innovation struggles to scale.

The result is a familiar pattern in technology development. Instead of building solutions tailored to local needs, many countries end up importing tools developed in the Global North. That dependency makes it harder to shape how AI is designed, deployed and governed.

The governance challenge

Governance itself is still catching up almost everywhere. Many governments are only beginning to develop national AI strategies or ethical guidelines. Clear rules on transparency, accountability, and data protection remain incomplete across large parts of the world.

These structural gaps formed an important but largely unspoken backdrop to the AI Impact Summit.

From a geopolitical perspective, the event highlighted India’s growing ambition to position itself as a global AI hub. The country secured several commitments related to investment, research partnerships and workforce development. Many speakers described India as an ideal location for AI expansion because of its large population of engineers, its established technology sector, and its rapidly growing digital economy.

For India, this attention represents a significant opportunity. New investments could support technology hubs, training programs and high-value jobs. The country has already built strong capabilities in software development and digital services and AI offers a chance to expand that influence. For other countries in the Global South, with limited skills and resources, the AI divide remains.

At the same time, the enthusiasm surrounding AI development raises practical questions about the nature of the work being created. Much of the global AI industry relies on large networks of data workers who label images, review content and train algorithms. These tasks are essential but often poorly paid and rarely discussed in public conversations about innovation.

As AI investment expands, the quality of these jobs will matter as much as their quantity. Fair wages, stable working conditions, and long-term career opportunities will determine whether the industry strengthens local economies or simply outsources invisible digital labor.

Multistakeholder participation in Global AI governance

Another noticeable feature of the summit was an uneven participation landscape with civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights advocates with limited visibility on the main stage. CSOs were at the India AI impact and found greater relevance in the networking as well as side events that aligned with the focus of the Summit, presenting greater opportunities for meaningful partricipation. Many of the discussions about risks took place in smaller side sessions rather than in the headline panels.In those sessions, researchers and advocates raised concerns that rarely surfaced in the official programme. Participants discussed the potential use of AI in military systems, including autonomous drones capable of selecting targets with minimal human oversight. Others focused on the rapid spread of deepfake technology and the risks it poses to elections and public trust.

There were also calls for stronger transparency requirements for AI developers, better protections for personal data, and greater participation from countries in the Global South in shaping global standards.Researchers, policymakers and technologists have been raising these issues for years, ephasising the need for humnan rights to become a key feature in AI impaxct Summits as these are lived impacts that come alongside the benefits of AI. By the time the summit concluded, the official message remained overwhelmingly positive. Governments emphasised job creation and economic growth. Technology companies highlighted responsible innovation and ethical commitments. New partnerships were announced and the momentum around AI development continued to build. Artificial intelligence has real potential to improve healthcare systems, accelerate scientific research and make public services more efficient.

But optimism works best when it is matched with realism.

Thinking of the future

The global race to develop AI is not taking place on equal ground. Large parts of the world still face deep infrastructure gaps, shortages of technical talent, and limited capacity to shape the rules governing new technologies. Without addressing these structural realities, the benefits of AI will likely remain concentrated in the countries that already have the strongest foundations.

Events like the AI Impact Summit show how quickly the conversation about AIis moving. They also reveal how much work remains to ensure that this technological transformation is inclusive rather than exclusive. As the Swiss government, which will host the Swiss AI Summit in 2027 plans the summit, we call for meaningful participation by diverse stakeholders and for a democratic summit anchored in human rights, consistent with the multistakeholder principles outlined in the Sao Paulo Guidelines for multistakeholder consensus-building and decision-making . In the future, we hope the summit will not only promote innovation and industrialisation but also enhance human rights standards in the design, development, and deployment of AI worldwide.

Authors: Sani Suleiman, and Bridgette Ndlovu

La entrada India AI Impact Summit – 2025: Big Promises, Hard Questions se publicó primero en Paradigm Initiative.

The advent of Artificial Intelligence has drawn the attention of African States as a tool for development towards the Sustainable Development Goals. AI is seen as a magic wand that will usher in development through greater efficiency across sectors such as Agriculture, Health, Finance, and Education. In stark contrast to this growing interest in AI adoption, the digital divide in Africa remains a major challenge to be addressed, alongside efforts to build digital literacy and users’ capacity to use AI responsibly with respect to human rights. The rise of synthetic media, including deepfakes, is fast becoming a hazard that States must resolve, promoting a thriving information ecosystem while also balancing the safeguarding of human rights.  While AI is perceived as a digital advancement, it is also seen as a quick fix for national security agendas, such as surveillance, as evidenced by various procurements of facial recognition technology deployed in public spaces, including through smart initiatives. This begs the question – are humans safe in the era of AI? 

Decoding AI Responsibility 

The notion of AI being responsible implies that it has the agility and intelligence to assess and apply rationality to its actions, yet AI lacks these capacities by virtue of not being human. Technology is created or conceptualised by humans who ought to know better or reflect deeply on the impacts of their imagination, as it is translated into technological tools and innovations.  The role of governments is to ensure that their actions and those of other stakeholders, such as technologists, companies, and individuals in their societies are responsible for the design and deployment of AI. This naturally leads governments to assess their capacities to understand AI and make it more responsible in operation, as well as to avoid its  adverse impacts and biases.

Tracking National Strategies

In 2025, countries such as Malawi launched a mission to procure AI-powered tools to monitor online misinformation and disinformation, with the ability to segment specific online users for analysis. The invasive nature of such interventions poses a threat to privacy rights and is deemed targeted communications surveillance, which is condemned by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Resolution 573 on the deployment of mass and unlawful targeted communication surveillance and its impact on human rights in Africa. The development agenda steers countries like Rwanda whose AI national strategies are silent to the terms human rights, emphasising developmental goals and benefits. Countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe and Zambia developed national AI strategies looking at how to harness AI for development. Guided by the African Union Continental AI Strategy, AI strategies developed beyond the AU strategy reflect human rights as  a co-feature. In particular, it looks at how to minimise risk for a responsible, safe and secure AI in Africa ensuring that AI respects human rights and dignity, inclusion, culture and values, safety, security, and environmental and ecosystem sustainability. It also calls for multistakeholder approaches to AI governance and the development of robust governance regimes for AI that are founded in ethical principles, democratic values, human rights and the rule of law. AI governance should be deliberate to ensure the aspects of responsibility, safety and security are tackled through the lens of human rights.

Paradigm Initiative’s (PIN’s) role in monitoring and documenting developments in AI governance in Africa is more critical now, noting the need to track progress with implementation of the African Union Continental AI Strategy. Noting the inadequacy or absence of national AI strategies relevant to building an AI deployment ecosystem that promotes human rights, PIN advocates for rights-respecting AI governance aligned with international human rights law. 

Actions Taken by PIN

Research

Without adequate research on AI gaps, governments are constrained in adopting adequate measures to safeguard human rights. There is a need to leverage existing research produced by a wider range of stakeholders, in addition to building internal research capacities within the relevant countries and sectors deploying AI. Partnering with organisations like PIN can be strategic for building capacity and addressing AI threats before and during deployment. Various research has been conducted by PIN over the past years to inform developments on AI in Africa. Research indicates the need to safeguard rights when deploying AI in Africa.  Some of our insights on AI in Africa are captured in the identified research outputs below:

1. Stakeholder Mapping of AI Actors in Nigeria Report (2021)
2. Over the past four editions of Londa which captures the state of digital rights and inclusion in Africa, we have been monitoring the digital policy landscape in Africa. Our recent findings, based on country assessments, show a low progression with regard to the development of national AI strategies in Africa. Currently, about 17 countries in Africa have a form of AI national strategy presenting an opportunity for PIN to work with governments in Africa to influence national AI Strategies. 
3. Through policy briefs, we address AI related challenges, transmitting our expertise to governments such as in Kenya (2022).
4. Our report on the State of Surveillance in Africa report (2024) highlights that artificial intelligence-enabled surveillance tools, such as facial recognition tools, are used in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria and we have engaged various stakeholders including telecommunications companies on the findings discussing ways to improve safeguards and due diligence processes.
5. We conduct comparative research on AI, such as the Research on AI laws, policies and strategies in East Africa, Zambia and Mauritius (2025).  
6. We assess laws to provide guidance, for instance, through Legal analysis of Laws, Policies and Government Strategies relating to AI in Kenya, Mauritius, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda & Zambia
7. We promote human rights in AI strategies as presentred in Advancing Rights-Based AI Strategy in Côte d’Ivoire (2025).
8. PIN is currently assessing the effect of Generative AI on information integrity in Africa and platform responses. 

National Level Stakeholder Coordination/Submissions

PIN convenes and makes key submissions to governments on AI. We have made inputs on Zimbabwe citing the need for public participation in AI governance in our Digital Policy Digest. Multistakeholder approaches to AI governance are important in shaping better outcomes and responsive strategies. PIN has seen the importance of this approach in many contexts, like Nigeria. Through PIN’s project tackling platform governance, supported by Global Partners Digital, PIN has provided a platform for diverse stakeholders in Nigeria to present input on the Online Harms Protection (OHP) Framework. PIN’s thought leadership on AI is evident and referenced in the White Paper adopted by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).  PIN has also been responsive to several other calls for input in the development of national AI strategies, including in Zambia and Kenya.

Capacity Building

Through our Digital Rights Academies, PIN builds the capacity of various stakeholders in Africa on AI, including journalists (AI integration in newsrooms), lawyers (AI in legal practice) and Teachers (AI in the Classroom), with a rights-based approach. We also convene the annual East Africa AI Forum to build the capacity of lawyers and other stakeholders in AI governance, leveraging collaboration with partners such as ALP East Africa Advocates, East Africa Law Society, and Thomson Reuters Foundation.  PIN’s capacity-building efforts are aimed at raising awareness of AI and promoting its ethical use across sectors such as media, law, and civil society. 

Global Processes/International Advocacy

PIN’s thought leadership in AI global processes is steady and relevant to the advancement of tangible progress in Africa. Our efforts in the global process cascade to our inputs at the national level.  This is in addition to engaging in AI global governance through various global processes addressing AI governance challenges and also making submissions to various accountability mechanisms. PIN has, for instance, responded to OHCHR calls for inputs and made inputs such as Paradigm Initiative’s Response to the Call for Inputs: The Use of Artificial Intelligence and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In 2024, PIN was part of the regional experts who made inputs and reviewed the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights DRAFT Study on human and peoples’ rights and artificial intelligence, robotics, and other new and emerging technologies in Africa. 

Tackling AI at a global level, PIN participated in the Global Digital Compact (GDC)processes, making oral and written submissions to deep dive sessions and through written submissions. PIN participated in the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS+20) review processes, making oral and written submissions to Co-Facilitators addressing AI and other related thematic areas such as data justice and privacy. PIN served on the team of experts that made a contribution to UNICEF’s Data Governance for EdTech Landscape review and policy recommendations assessing the use of AI in education and the attendant impact on data governance for children. Through the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum, we feature AI as a sub-theme where various AI tools and developments are disseminated to the Global South delegates and specific calls are made to diverse stakeholders. We curate the DRIF agenda, gathering areas of development. AI was featured in the DRIF25 report, where the community requested that PIN prioritise AI programming in its community recommendation to the DRIF Convenors.

Looking forward

PIN promotes a thriving environment where technology exists harmoniously with humans. AI must be seen and experienced as a tool that enhances processes and enables rights when deployed rightly and justly. Its potential to cause harm cannot be ignored in pursuance of development but can be addressed prior to harms occurring. Guardrails can be established through rights-respecting AI strategies and practises. To that end, PIN remains committed to partnerships that foster a thriving digital ecosystem.

La entrada About AI in Africa: Reflecting Paradigm Initiative’s Footprint se publicó primero en Paradigm Initiative.

Across Africa, organisations like Paradigm Initiative have spent years working to ensure that digital expansion remains inclusive of every segment of the population. Through digital inclusion programmes, youth digital-skills training, policy research, and advocacy for open and secure internet access, the emphasis has always been on access to work hand in glove with optimisation. When young people are connected, empowered with skills, and protected by rights-respecting digital policies, economies grow organically. It is at this point that taxation frameworks can then build on that growth as a solid foundation rather than risk slowing it at the earliest stages of opportunity creation.

That is why the new digital taxation provisions in the 2026 Finance Law deserve careful reflection and a line-by-line understanding for the everyday Cameroonian. Taxation is necessary, and no serious person disputes that. Every government needs it to fund services, infrastructure, and development. But taxation, especially in fragile digital ecosystems, must be built diligently, as if it is introduced without adequate safeguards, it can strangle the opportunities it was meant to feed on in later stages of growth. 

Starting January 1, 2026, Cameroon’s new digital tax law outlined in the 2026 Finance Law, imposed a 3% tax on the turnover of non-resident digital companies with a “significant economic presence” in the country. It targets platforms with over a thousand local users or 50 million CFA francs in annual revenue.

The most worrying feature of the new law is not really the 3% levy itself, but the structure around it. The definition of “significant economic presence” is so broad, meaning most or every global platform operating in Cameroon is expected to fall within the tax net. Once taxed, these platforms will do what businesses everywhere do: adjust prices. As is the case with streams that never flow uphill, so will the cost of this also quickly trickle down to the small trader promoting a Facebook post, the young developer paying for cloud tools, or the startup relying on foreign APIs to function.

Policy experts call this a cost pass-through. But in simpler terms, it is goods and services suddenly becoming more expensive for the everyday Cameroonian whose livelihood is remotely associated with digital platforms. The people most affected will not be multinational corporations or ‘big businesses.. They will be the micro-entrepreneurs who built businesses on platforms precisely because they could not afford to lift the traditional entry barriers. It could be an Instagram vendor in Bamenda, a designer in Douala, a student running a small e-commerce page in Yaoundé or a creative who just started cashing in on their streams. These are the actors who feel even small pricing changes immediately.

Secondly, Cameroon’s digital economy has grown amid a cloud of uncertainty shaped by past shutdowns, intermittent restrictions and infrastructure instability. When a new law requires foreign platforms to register locally, file reports and interface closely with regulatory systems, entrepreneurs do not only see taxation, but also possible new levers of control. This poses possible challenges of regulatory risk, unpredictability and more, depending on which side of the spectrum you pitch your tent. But capital, as history has always shown, prefers calmer waters. None of this means Cameroon should not tax digital economic activity. It however, advises that taxation must move hand in hand with protections that reassure users, startups, and investors that access to the internet will remain stable, neutral and free from arbitrary disruption. 

There is also a broader question of digital economic growth and status worth asking. A country like Cameroon is still grappling with building foundational digital infrastructure, expanding broadband, strengthening startup ecosystems, and encouraging youth innovation. At such a stage, policy should first accelerate participation, then later optimise revenue capture. Much like providing good roads, then using them to get to a desired destination. When revenue policy precedes ecosystem maturity, the unintended effect is often to slow the very growth the tax hopes to benefit from.

I often think about entrepreneurs in remote towns who discovered that the internet allowed them to compete with businesses in major cities. It not only cuts down the logistical challenge but also the administrative bottlenecks and the ‘go to Yaounde’ or ‘go to Douala’ way of having to do things. For them, digital platforms are an equaliser. Every additional cost layered onto that newfound access slightly tilts the playing field back toward those who already had structural advantages.

Cameroon stands at an important digital crossroads. The country is right to ensure that global technology companies contribute fairly to the economy. But this fairness must be balanced with foresight. The goal should not be merely to tax the digital economy but to grow it sustainably, and with rules that encourage participation and inclusion. If this policy unintentionally makes the smallest digital entrepreneurs pay the price, we may discover too late that we were not taxing global platforms after all. We were taxing the very future that young Cameroonians are spending sleepless nights trying to build.

Giyo Ndzi

The writer is Communications Officer at Paradigm Initiative.

La entrada Who actually pays the 3% in Cameroon’s new digital tax? se publicó primero en Paradigm Initiative.

DRIBLE, developed by Paradigm Initiative with support from the Open Society Foundations, offers a fun, accessible entry point into digital rights and inclusion conversations through a custom-designed board game. The Namibia launch follows successful pilots at the University of Lagos in Nigeria, the Dakar American University of Science and Technology (DAUST) in Senegal, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, Kenya, and the University of Zambia in Lusaka. PIN’s vision is to reach 20 million people through the organisation’s digital inclusion and digital rights intervention.

Speaking at the event, ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, emphasised the transformative potential of DRIBLE and encouraged students to be bold, follow their passions, and build their skillsets within the technology sphere.

“You are digital natives. So the question for you is, ‘what are the skills I need to pick up and invest in now?’ You must build the relevant skills that will make you stand out.”

In her welcoming remarks, Nashilongo Gervasius Nakale of NamTshuwe Digital Hub, the implementing partner and organiser in Namibia, encouraged the young participants to fully seize the opportunity to deepen their understanding of digital rights and digital inclusion. Recognising that many aspire to careers in technology-related fields, she urged them to look beyond the functional “use” of technology and to critically engage with its broader societal implications.

She emphasised the importance of cultivating an informed and empathetic perspective on the multiple ways in which technology intersects with human rights, equity and social development. In doing so, she called on the youth to develop a nuanced appreciation of both the opportunities and responsibilities that accompany digital innovation, and to position themselves as future technology leaders who are grounded in ethical awareness and inclusive values.

Mr Edward Nepolo, the Head of Department of Computer Science at the National University of Science and Technology, in his keynote address, affirmed: “Africa is not a promise for the future anymore, it is a force to be reckoned with now. We should not be comfortable being consumers of technology; we should take our space and play our part in the development and shaping of technology.”

Since its founding in 2007 in Lagos, Paradigm Initiative has expanded across six African countries: Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, impacting over 150,000 young Africans. DRIBLE builds on PIN’s ongoing work addressing digital exclusion, complementing initiatives such as Ripoti, a digital rights reporting platform, and Ayeta, a digital security toolkit for activists and vulnerable groups.

The DRIBLE launch in Namibia marks a key milestone in the organisation’s mission to equip African youth with the knowledge, skills, and tools to thrive safely in the digital age, ensuring their voices and rights are central to the continent’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Ends…//

La entrada Press Release: Paradigm Initiative’s DRIBLE Tour educates Namibian students on digital safety and inclusion se publicó primero en Paradigm Initiative.

Technical monitoring by NetBlocks and independent observers confirms that the disruptions are affecting Meta platforms, YouTube, and TikTok across Gabon. Reports indicate that users have resorted to virtual private networks (VPNs) to circumvent restrictions, while connectivity remains unstable nationwide.Blanket platform suspensions constitute a grave violation of digital rights, including freedom of expression and access to information. They disproportionately silence public discourse amidst ongoing anti-government protests and a labour strike in Gabon.

Beyond civic space implications, the suspension carries severe economic consequences estimated at $2,960,568 Total Cost Impact (FCFA 1,781,414,598 CFA Franc BEAC) for two-day shutdown of WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, based on the Netblocks loss per day calculation tool. Social media platforms serve as critical tools for entrepreneurs, small businesses, freelancers, journalists, and civil society actors. Restricting access disrupts commerce, digital payments coordination, customer engagement, and livelihoods, particularly for young people and informal sector actors who rely heavily on these platforms. Gabon has previously experienced digital disruptions during periods of political unrest. The recurrence of such measures signals a troubling pattern that undermines transparency, civic participation, and democratic governance.

Article 9 of Gabon’s Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and information. As a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 19) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Article 9), Gabon is obligated to ensure that any restriction on expression meets the three-part test of legality, necessity, and proportionality. Indiscriminate platform suspensions fail this test. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression has consistently affirmed that internet shutdowns are inherently disproportionate under international human rights law. Similarly, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Principle 38(2) of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, clearly guides that States shall not engage in or condone any disruption of access to the internet and other digital technologies for segments of the public or an entire population. As such, Gabon’s actions violate fundamental rights and freedoms as obligations under these instruments require the government to protect, not curtail, digital civic space.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and technology companies operating in Gabon also have responsibilities under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. They must ensure transparency regarding government orders affecting connectivity and avoid complicity in human rights violations, accounting to their users. Any failure in this regard impedes the proper exercise of contractual obligations and human rights responsibilities.

To urgently address human rights concerns, Paradigm Initiative calls for the following:

1. Immediate restoration of full and unrestricted access to all affected social media platforms
2. Transparency from the Haute Autorité de la Communication (HAAC), including publication of the legal basis and any relevant information on the envisaged order that affected internet access. 
3. Transparency notices from internet service providers (ISPs) detailing the government directives affecting internet access.
   
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La entrada Press release: Paradigm Initiative Condemns Social Media Suspension in Gabon, Calls for Immediate Restoration of Access se publicó primero en Paradigm Initiative.

Vous aimez impliquer les gens à travers des jeux, des discussions et des activités communautaires ?

Devenez bénévole et rejoignez notre équipe d’ambassadeurs du jeu de société DRIBLE. Aidez les jeunes à comprendre leurs droits numériques grâce à l’expérience d’apprentissage sur les droits numériques et l’inclusion (DRIBLE), un jeu éducatif interactif et ludique qui met les jeunes en contact avec un large éventail d’outils et d’opportunités PIN.

Qui peut se porter volontaire ?

• Les étudiants universitaires ou d’établissements d’enseignement supérieur
• Les leaders étudiants, les responsables de clubs ou les pairs éducateurs
• Les défenseurs de la jeunesse intéressés par les droits numériques et l’inclusion
• Les animateurs, les bénévoles ou les organisateurs communautaires
• Les personnes passionnées prêtes à mobiliser leurs camarades étudiants

Ce que vous ferez

• Animer des sessions de jeu DRIBLE sur votre campus/dans votre communauté
• Soutenir la tournée DRIBLE Campus Tour dans votre établissement
• Mener des discussions sur les droits numériques et l’inclusion après les sessions de jeu
• Mobiliser les étudiants pour qu’ils participent aux sessions et aux activités
• Promouvoir DRIBLE et les initiatives connexes en ligne et hors ligne
• Partager vos commentaires, rapports et témoignages

Ce que vous gagnerez

• Reconnaissance officielle en tant qu’ambassadeur DRIBLE
• Formation sur les droits numériques, l’inclusion et l’animation de jeux
• Boîte à outils de l’ambassadeur et ressources de jeu
• Certificat et recommandation (basés sur les performances)
• Expérience en matière de leadership et opportunités de réseautage national
• Accès prioritaire aux futurs programmes et événements PIN.

Durée du programme

6 mois initiaux, renouvelables en fonction des performances.

🗓 Date limite de candidature

4 mars 2026

Postulez ici

Pour toute question, veuillez contacter ihueze.nwobilor@paradigmhq.org

Rejoignez un mouvement en pleine expansion qui aide les jeunes à connaître leurs droits, à rester en sécurité en ligne et à participer pleinement au monde numérique.

La entrada APPEL À CANDIDATURES : AMBASSADEURS DU JEU DE SOCIÉTÉ DRIBLE se publicó primero en Paradigm Initiative.

This year’s DRIF event, the first one in a Francophone country, will be held under the theme, Building Inclusive and Resilient Digital Futures in response to on-going rapid digital expansion, uneven internet access, rising surveillance, shrinking civic space and funding- more so across the Global South. This theme builds on the 2025 one which was, “Promoting Digital Ubuntu in Approaches to Technology,” which called for inclusive and collaborative approaches to advancing digital rights and inclusion across the Global South.

The 2026 forum will be hosted by Paradigm Initiative in collaboration with the organisation’s partner, Coalition Ivoirienne des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (CIDDH). The event sponsors include Ford Foundation, International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Human Rights Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Mott Foundation, Wellspring Philanthropic Fund, Wikimedia and individual supporters.

The event previously known as the Internet Freedom Forum (IFF) has been held since 2013 bringing together almost 3,000 delegates from over 70 countries across the world. The first event which was held in Nigeria, brought together 53 delegates. In 2019, the event’s name was changed from IFF to DRIF to incorporate digital inclusion aspects. Last year’s edition was held in Lusaka, Zambia, the 2024 one held in Accra, Ghana and the 2023 edition held in Nairobi, Kenya.

Thematic areas covered under DRIF are; Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies, Trust and Accountability, Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity, Digital Inclusion and Marginalised Groups, Digital Security, Human Rights and Freedoms. 

This year, PIN has received 449 session proposals, up from 346 proposals that were received in 2025. The sessions include workshops, day zero events, tech demos, product launches, lightning talks and panel sessions. The session hosts should expect to receive feedback from PIN on 28th February, 2026 regarding the status of their proposals.

Delegates at the event include representatives from the civil society, non-governmental organisations, academia, media, funding partners, the United Nations, the technical community, government, the private sector within the digital ecosystem to share experiences and map strategies that transcend geographical boundaries.

The meeting provides a platform for tough topical global issues on digital rights and inclusion, accommodating views and opinions from civil society, technology companies, funders, governments, UN bodies, media, academia, and other stakeholders. 

Registration details can be accessed here. 

La entrada Press release: Registration opens for the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF26) Côte d’Ivoire, Abidjan, the first one in Francophone Africa se publicó primero en Paradigm Initiative.

The India AI Impact Summit is anchored in the principles of People, Planet, and Progress. The Summit envisions a future where AI advances humanity, fosters inclusive growth, and safeguards our shared planet. The Summit presents an opportunity for civil society, governments, the private sector, and technical communities to deliberate on pressing AI challenges and collectively design solutions.

Through various sessions and workshops, PIN will anchor the voices of underserved groups in the Global South communities it serves, strategically positioning these views in global debates. PIN will leverage insights from its research and advocacy work to spotlight emerging threats and make solution-oriented contributions.

The Paradigm Initiative team joining the Summit includes Thobekile Matimbe, the PIN’s Senior Manager, Partnerships and Engagements; Sani Suleiman, PIN’s Programmes Officer, Research and Bridgette Ndlovu, PIN’s Partnerships and Engagements Officer.

Key moments to look out for include:

Session Title 1: Platform Governance and AI: Global Majority perspectives,

Organiser: Global Partners Digital (GPD)

Date: February 18, 2026

Time:   14:00 – 17:00 pm 

Venue: The LaLiT New Delhi

Session Title 2: Data Governance at the Intersection of Digital Public Infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence.

Organiser: Tech Global Institute

Date: February 17, 2026 

Time: 1:30 – 2:25 pm

Venue: Shakuntalam Banquet in Sushma Swaraj Bhawan

Session Title 3: Shared Learning Forum on AI

Organiser: Global Network Initiative and Centre for Communication Governance 

Date: February 16, 2025

PIN’s participation underscores the organisation’s commitment to ensuring that all technological advancements and global policies translate into greater digital freedoms and opportunities for marginalised communities. If you would like to connect with us at the India AI Impact Summit, email us at partners@paradigmhq.org. 

/Ends//

La entrada Press Release: Paradigm Initiative to centre community realities at India AI Impact Summit se publicó primero en Paradigm Initiative.