Pan-African Parliament committed to the continent’s digital future
The Lusaka Declaration
of the
Africa Digital Parliamentary Summit
The Pan African Parliament (PAP), in collaboration with the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) and GSMA, hosted the first Africa Digital Parliamentary Summit on Artificial Intelligence, Data Protection and Privacy. Discussions also focused on Africa’s digital health and smart manufacturing. The Summit ran from 9 to 11 July 2025 in Lusaka, Zambia.
It took place at a time when Africa lags behind the rest of the world in terms of digitisation. Our innovation, capacitation and ability to harness the dividends of a digitised society are not on par with global trends and standards. In the long run, this could reduce Africa’s and Africans’ competitiveness internationally.
Moreover, trends associated with Industry 4.0 (the Fourth Industrial Revolution) – especially in digital transformation, AI, data protection and privacy – highlight the need for African policymakers to acquire necessary, relevant skills to address policy issues, particularly in terms of global health security, in alignment with’ the Africa We Want’ as outlined in the African Union‘s Agenda 2063.
The inaugural Summit aimed at building the capacity of Members of Parliament in terms of AI, data protection and privacy with a specific focus on governance and policy considerations and challenges. It also laid a foundation to foster dialogue among policymakers, researchers and private sector stakeholders to align legislative action with Africa’s digital transformation agenda.
The meeting was attended by MPs from the Pan-African Parliament Committees on Transport, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology, and Health, Labour and Social Affairs, as well as institutional representatives from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), AUDA-NEPAD, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC).
The opening ceremony featured keynote speeches delivered by:
- Hon. Behdja Mokrani, Chairperson of the Pan-African Parliament Committee on Transport, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology
- Dr Anthony Mveyange, Director of Programmes, Synergy at APHRC, and
- Kenechi Okeleke, Senior Director at GSMA
Each reaffirmed their commitment to the success of the Summit and underscored its timeliness and relevance, highlighting the critical importance of equipping MPs with the knowledge required to make informed legislative decisions on these complex and evolving issues.
They further indicated that the Summit was crucial for ensuring that technological innovation translates into tangible benefits for African citizens while safeguarding national interests, rights and sovereignty.
Members of Parliament
EXPRESSED appreciation to the APHRC and GSMA for convening the Summit as an opportunity to establish the foundation for long-term partnerships that enhance the role of research, data science, and innovation in policy processes across the continent
ACKNOWLEDGED the need for strengthening the connection between research and policy action by fostering dialogue among legislators, researchers and private sector stakeholders, ensuring that Africa’s policy responses are grounded in robust and locally generated evidence
WELCOMED the development of targeted data and digital literacy programmes for MPs and parliamentary staff, enhancing their ability to navigate complex issues such as AI governance, data protection, privacy and governance, and cross-border data flows
ACKNOWLEDGED that while AI offers significant opportunities for predictive healthcare, optimised resource allocation and enhanced production processes, it also presents risks related to inequality, exclusion and privacy violations if not governed appropriately.
RECOGNISED the need for robust Africa-led governance frameworks to ensure responsible AI development and application, given the potential impact on democracy, elections and governance which is key to the AU under the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Good Governance (ACDEG)
NOTED that digital health offers significant economic potential in Africa, estimated at $4.6-billion in 2024, with projections reaching approximately $5.7bn under a baseline scenario and $6.5bn under an optimistic scenario by 2030. This growth is expected to substantially contribute to the region’s health sector Gross Domestic Product (GDP), highlighting the critical importance of ongoing investment and strategic development
EMPHASISED the need for the transformative potential of digital health, which is revolutionising healthcare delivery through enhanced data utilisation, AI-driven decision-making and cross-border health information exchange – critical components for advancing universal health coverage across the continent
Further EMPHASISED the importance of establishing a normative standards framework for health to ensure that Digital Health Initiatives (DHIs) adhere to international standards. This includes adopting national Health Information Exchange (HIE) protocols to promote data sharing and policy harmonisation
RECOGNISED the necessity of facilitating cross-sector collaboration among the Commerce, Trade and ICT sectors to jointly explore opportunities for the digitalisation of manufacturing processes, thereby enhancing domestic productivity and supply chain resilience
Further RECOGNISED the necessity of creating an enabling environment for sustained investments in advancing connectivity networks, given their critical role in facilitating smart manufacturing
NOTED the need to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education initiatives to cultivate the necessary labour skills to meet the workforce demands for smart manufacturing in Africa
Further NOTED the need to integrate Industry 4.0 into national industrial policies by advocating for the explicit inclusion of digital transformation goals and metrics in national industrial development strategies and sectoral master plans
EMPHASISED the need to incentivise digital adoption among SMEs and mid-sized manufacturers by legislating laws and policies that champion targeted financial mechanisms, including: tax incentives for technology upgrades; direct grants and subsidies for digital adoption, and access to affordable industrial financing tools that reduce risk
Further EMPHASISED the need to establish and enforce data governance and cybersecurity protocols by encouraging African Member States to adopt and implement robust frameworks for data ownership, sharing and cybersecurity in line with the African Union’s Malabo Convention on industrial data protection laws, operational technology (OT) cybersecurity standards and national cyber resilience strategies for manufacturing systems
REAFFIRMED parliamentarians’ commitment, if capacitated, to facilitate the adoption of coherent and harmonised legislation that promotes responsible digital innovation, safeguards privacy and human rights, and ensures that Africa’s digital transformation remains inclusive, secure and aligned with the continent’s priorities
Further REAFFIRMED the need to drive regulatory reform to foster innovation by supporting the review and modernisation of outdated industrial regulations, and leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement to create regional supply chains for smart manufacturing inputs
ACKNOWLEDGED the opportunities presented by smart manufacturing, leveraging AI and automation to enhance industrial productivity, create jobs and strengthen Africa’s global competitiveness
RECOGNISED that these developments are pivotal for achieving the Aspirations of Agenda 2063, the AUn’s blueprint for inclusive growth, sustainable development and the continent’s integration
EXPRESSED the need to implement enabling regulations for investment in advanced connectivity infrastructure, e.g 5G, especially around Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Effective policies around spectrum can facilitate the roll out of 5G, including private 5G networks around SEZs where manufacturers are based to improve production processes
Further EXPRESSED the need for governments to build awareness of the benefits of smart manufacturing among manufacturers and SMEs, and launch campaigns to educate manufacturers on smart manufacturing benefits, such as cost savings and productivity gains
EMPHASISED the need to support local research institutions and start-ups developing affordable, context-specific solutions, given the unique issues that local manufacturers face in the region. Encourage reverse engineering and the adaptation of global technologies
NOTED the need to facilitate investments in renewable energy and off-grid solutions to address energy challenges, including exploring emerging models for off-grid solutions for renewable energy generation and distribution
At the end of the fruitful engagements and deliberations, the following recommendations were made for:
Members of Parliament to:
- Support legislative and regulatory frameworks on AI for health and industry to ensure safe, transparent and ethical use at national, regional and continental levels
- Develop Model Laws and Policy Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence, Data Protection and Privacy with support from the APRM, AUDA-NEPAD, GSMA and the APHRC, aligned with AU Agenda 2063
- Advocate for the ratification and domestication of the Malabo Convention to address emerging technologies, including AI, cross-border data flows and evolving cyber threats
- Support allocation of adequate funding for digital infrastructure, research, innovation and development in AI
- Support vocational and higher education in AI by increasing the budget of the relevant academic institutions
- Enhance collaboration between the PAP, AU organs and civil society organisations such as the APHRC and GSMA to develop and implement an Africa-led governance framework on Artificial Intelligence, ensuring it benefits all Africans
- Facilitate cross-border research projects on AI solutions that address shared healthcare burdens and supply chain resilience, and
- Institutionalise the convening of an annual Africa Digital Parliamentary Summit in collaboration with the APRM, AUDA-NEPAD, GSMA and the APHRC as a formal multi-stakeholder platform to review progress on recommendations made and monitor policy harmonisation
The APHRC, GSMA and other stakeholders to:
- Support Members of Parliament and parliamentary technical personnel with continuous technical training, up-to-date research and knowledge exchange on AI ethics, data governance, digital health and smart manufacturing
- Support the development of national AI capability frameworks to assess readiness at sectoral levels in collaboration with Members of Parliament
- Facilitate the development of tailored leadership programmes for policymakers to understand AI’s strategic value
- Support AU Member States in integrating smart manufacturing, digital health and AI into national development plans, mobilising resources, technical expertise and multi-sectoral partnerships
- Encourage GSMA to deepen partnerships with the African private sector, mobile network operators and innovators to expand infrastructure and services that enable AI to ensure no community is left behind
- Encourage the APHRC enhance its collaboration with the PAP and national parliaments to translate research into legislative action and to continue generating policy-relevant research on the socio-economic impacts of digital transformation
- Facilitate an immersive learning experience in digital health and smart manufacturing for parliamentarians at the MWC GSMA Shanghai in June 2026, as part of supporting their capacity building in the adoption of coherent and harmonised legislation that promotes responsible digital innovation, safeguards privacy and human rights, and ensures that Africa’s digital transformation remains inclusive, secure and aligned with the continent’s priorities
PICTURE: Delegates to the first Africa Digital Parliamentary Summit
The original press release was first published here
