What FIFAfrica 2025 Taught Me About Digital Rights and Governance

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Digital Rights Matter Now More Than Ever

When I attended the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa (FIFAfrica) this year in Windhoek, Namibia, my second time at the annual gathering, I couldn’t help but reflect on how rapidly the digital landscape is evolving across the continent. Yet, for all our progress, the discussions at the forum served as a powerful reminder that our freedoms, safety, and even human dignity online remain deeply contested.

This year’s convening, hosted by the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), brought together advocates, researchers, policymakers, and journalists to interrogate the intersection between technology, human rights, and governance. For me, it was not just an opportunity to engage, but to learn, question, and imagine what a rights-respecting digital future for Africa could look like.

AI, Power, and Human Rights

I began the week at a closed pre-conference workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human Rights, a timely session that unpacked both the promise and peril of AI in African contexts. The conversations were sobering: as governments and tech companies race to adopt AI systems, concerns over surveillance, algorithmic bias, and lack of transparency are growing.

There was also this session on algorithm that stood out as the topic has been on my radar lately;  “Critical Thinking in the Age of Algorithms”,  which introduced a pilot Media and AI Literacy Framework being tested in Southern Africa. It underscored the urgent need to equip citizens, especially young people, with the skills to critically interpret AI-generated information. As someone who trains youth in media and information literacy, I found the discussion deeply relevant.

It reinforced my belief that digital empowerment must go beyond access; it must also nurture the capacity to question, verify, and think independently.

The State of Internet Freedom in Africa – Report

The launch of the State of Internet Freedom in Africa 2025 report painted a mixed picture. While some countries have made strides in enacting data protection laws and opening up civic spaces online, others continue to weaponize digital technologies to silence dissent. From arbitrary internet shutdowns to intrusive cybercrime laws, the threats to free expression remain very real.

Data Protection and Cybersecurity in Africa

I was especially drawn to a session by Oxfam and Access Now on Data Protection and Cybersecurity in Africa. The panel session, moderated by Bill Marwa, Oxfam International, Digital Rights Lead, Africa, explored the strengths and limitations of the current regulatory landscape across different countries and discussed how continental frameworks, especially the Malabo Convention, can be leveraged to strengthen national cybersecurity and data protection policies.

There was a presentation of case studies, including Nigeria’s SIM-NIN policy and advocacy efforts on cybersecurity and data protection in Tunisia, Somalia, and Kenya, which highlighted opportunities to domesticate regional frameworks, strengthen data protection frameworks and safeguard at risk populations across Africa.

It was mindblowing to hear about a bizarre case in Togo, where teachers faced harassment and even enforced disappearances for teaching a subject that was considered “contentious” by the state.

It was also clear from the discussions that the continent’s regulatory landscape remains fragmented. Many countries lack comprehensive cybersecurity and data protection frameworks, and regional efforts, including the African Union’s Malabo Convention, face slow adoption. This gap has enabled harmful surveillance practices and other forms of abuse targeting human rights defenders, journalists and other at-risk communities.

My biggest takeaway from this session was that “even in countries with strong data laws, weak institutions and limited public awareness often undermine implementation. It’s a reminder that laws alone cannot guarantee protection; people and political will must drive the change”.

Rethinking Africa’s Response to Big Tech

Another key session that captured this spirit of collective action was “Power, Platforms, and the People: Rethinking Africa’s Response to Big Tech.” The discussion explored how African governments, civil society, and innovators can reclaim agency in a digital ecosystem dominated by global technology companies. Participants examined how Big Tech companies hold most of the control over content moderation to how data is harvested and monetized.

Child Online Protection An Emerging Priority

Another topic that resonated strongly in this year’s  Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa was child online protection. As more African children access the internet, often unsupervised, they face growing risks of exploitation, exposure to harmful content, and data misuse. Yet, this conversation is still in its infancy in many policy spaces.

An estimated 40% of African children aged 15 and above now have internet access. As children increasingly engage in the digital world, the need for specialised protections to address their unique vulnerabilities has become evident, with the right to privacy standing out as both a critical concern and an enabling right.

I was impressed to learn that Kenya is leading in the adoption of Africa’s first online child Protection Policy, and as  Lillian Kariuki, Executive Secretary of the Africa Child Online Safety Alliance, shared; “even as we advocated for more to be done, let us also take a moment to celebrate what has been done”.

At the end of the session, one call was clear; “that we must start treating online safety for children as a human rights issue, not just a parental responsibility”. Families, Governments, educators, and technology companies all have a role to play in building safer digital environments, from stronger privacy safeguards to digital literacy programs that teach children how to protect themselves online.

Regional Collaboration and Synergy for Impact

Beyond the sessions, networking with thought leaders such as Tawanda Mugari, Co-Founder of the Digital Society of Africa, Oxfam Africa’s Digital Rights Lead, Bill Marwa,  Felicia Antonio, Global Campaign Manager at Access Now, Uyanda Siyotula, National Coordinator SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition and Muthoki Mumo, Africa Program Coordinator, Committee to Protect Journalists, reaffirmed the power of regional collaboration to accelerate change.

As someone who works at the intersection of digital media, human rights, and advocacy, I left Windhoek with renewed optimism and heightened responsibility to do more in championing access to information. The future of internet freedom in Africa depends not just on policies or platforms, but on people who believe in open, inclusive, and rights-based digital spaces.

This article was first published on The Kenya Forum Website on October 07, 2025