During MWC Kigali, the GSMA and Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA) hosted a two-day capacity-building session focusing on mobile privacy and security. During the training participants explored how Africa’s data privacy policies and regulatory frameworks are evolving rapidly to support the continent’s digital transformation. The African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention) is being modernised to reflect these changes and align with Africa’s digital ambitions.
Across the continent, Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) are increasingly sharing lessons on privacy implementation, cross-border data flows, data breach management, and cooperation with sector-specific regulators. They are also exchanging experiences in sandboxing, capacity building, and public-private partnerships.
One of example of how countries are innovating out comes from Nigeria. The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) recently translated the country’s Data Protection Act into Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. Translating the law into local languages ensures that citizens from across the country can understand their data protection rights and obligations. Making sure that the law is accessible supports Nigeria’s goals to increase digital inclusion. This is the kind of work that other authorities can learn from and implement in their own countries.
Supporting Innovation
Innovation is happening all over Africa and there is a growing appetite to learn and share best practice and the capacity building sessions at MWC Kigali provided the perfect place to explore these themes. The sessions brought together policymakers, government officials, and regulators from across Africa to discuss the growing commitment to advancing data privacy and security across the region.
During the training participants emphasised that many countries face common challenges with fragmentation and working in silos. As a result, even though data privacy and security laws are present in numerous jurisdictions, putting these laws into practice continues to be a significant obstacle. Other common themes from the training included limited resources, weak coordination between authorities and a shared a need to consider local culture and customs in policy design.
Insights from the Smart Implementation of Data Privacy Laws report
The GSMA’s Smart Implementation of Data Privacy Laws report serves as a guide for data protection authorities as they seek to implement privacy laws in their markets. During the training participants explored the report’s nine key principles and discussed practical ways to apply them to national data protection frameworks as they develop, evolve and mature.
The session was an excellent chance for participants to collaborate and learn from each other. During the sessions the vital role of youth in promoting digital rights and awareness was discussed. The participants agreed that Data protection authorities across Africa are keen to ensure that privacy and data protections are championed by Africans, for Africans. These collaborative learning sessions are vital to helping Data Protection Authorities evolve.
The GSMA will continue to work with partners and governments to continue Africa’s success in the digital age.
Watch highlights from the GSMA Capacity Building course in Kigali.
Contact us for further information about the GSMA Capacity Building programme.