Repatriating East Africa’s Data

In East Africa, much of the value generated from data produced by citizens, firms, and governments flows outward. Foreign companies and donor led systems dominate the region's digital and data infrastructure, storing, processing, and monetising this data. The result is a modern form of dependence in which the region supplies raw data while others capture the profits and strategic advantages derived from it. This issue is not simply a technological challenge but an economic and governance problem. When data on payments, agriculture, health, and education is hosted and analysed abroad, East African states lose opportunities to create jobs, tax revenue, and innovation capacity. They also lose visibility over their economies, compromising security and evidence-based policymaking.

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