Africa Must Control Its Data or Lose Its Future, PAP President Warns in Nairobi

Nairobi, Kenya — 27 January 2026

The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, on Tuesday issued a strong continental warning that Africa risks surrendering control of its future if it fails to assert sovereignty over its sensitive digital data and the Artificial Intelligence systems built upon it.

Speaking at the official opening of the Sensitive Data Sovereignty Conference at Tangaza University in Nairobi, President Charumbira said Africa must urgently take ownership of its health, humanitarian, and personal data, warning that uncontrolled cross-border data flows expose the continent to exploitation, political manipulation, and what he described as emerging forms of “digital colonialism.”

The conference brought together policymakers, academics, humanitarian actors, and technology experts from across Africa and beyond.

Data Sovereignty Is No Longer Optional

President Charumbira framed data sovereignty as a defining governance issue of the digital age, stressing that data has become the primary resource driving Artificial Intelligence, economic value, and political influence.

“If we do not control the data that goes into AI, we will not control our AI,” he said, adding that the loss of data control also means losing control over narratives, policy priorities, and decision-making processes.

He cautioned that Africa’s data, generated by its people, institutions, and communities is increasingly stored and processed outside the continent, raising serious concerns about privacy, security, and accountability.

Warning Against Data Colonialism and Political Manipulation

The PAP President warned that Africa is becoming a major source of raw data for global technology systems while receiving limited benefits in return. He said this imbalance risks replicating historical patterns of extraction, this time in digital form.

He highlighted specific dangers, including:

• misuse of citizens’ personal and health data,
• economic exploitation through unequal data value chains, and
• political interference enabled by access to sensitive population and voter data.

“These risks are real and present,” he said, urging African states to remain vigilant against external manipulation facilitated by data dependency.

PAP to Advance Continental AI and Cybersecurity Legislation

President Charumbira reaffirmed the Pan-African Parliament’s role as the African Union’s legislative arm in shaping the continent’s digital future. He recalled that data sovereignty and Artificial Intelligence feature prominently under Agenda 2063, the AU’s long-term development framework.

He disclosed that PAP will soon begin work on a Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Model Law, aimed at supporting Member States to harmonize national legislation, strengthen data protection, and safeguard citizens’ digital rights.

The initiative builds on earlier PAP resolutions adopted in 2018 and 2025 calling for a continent-wide legal framework on data governance.

Universities at the Centre of Africa’s Digital Architecture

The conference also marked the formal launch of the Africa University Network on FAIR Open Science (AUN-FOS), hosted by Tangaza University in collaboration with leading African universities.

According to the conference Concept Note, the Network seeks to develop African-led sovereign data spaces for sensitive health and humanitarian data, based on FAIR principles: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable, while ensuring ownership, localization, and regulatory compliance.

President Charumbira, a Patron of the Network, described African universities as “guardians of independent thought and innovation” and urged them to lead the design of ethical, Africa-centric data systems.

Anchored in AU Legal Frameworks

President Charumbira anchored the discussions within existing African Union law, particularly the 2014 Malabo Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection, which establishes continental norms on data privacy and digital security.

While noting progress in domesticating the Convention, he said the rapid expansion of AI technologies requires renewed political commitment and stronger institutional coordination across the continent.

A Call for Collective Action

In his closing remarks, President Charumbira called for coordinated action involving governments, academia, civil society, the private sector, and international partners to build a secure African Data Space that enables innovation without sacrificing sovereignty.

“We do not want digital slavery,” he said. “We want an Africa where data empowers our people, strengthens our economies, and secures our collective future.”

He then formally declared the Sensitive Data Sovereignty Conference open, reaffirming the Pan-African Parliament’s commitment to advancing Africa’s digital sovereignty under the principle of “One Africa, One Voice.”