State of Internet Freedom in Africa 2025: Navigating the Implications of AI on Digital Democracy in Africa
CIPESA (2025), 74 pp.
"While AI offers potential benefits across various sectors, its deployment by businesses and governments and application by individuals present new opportunities while raising significant concerns. More specifically, most African countries do not have legal or regulatory measures on the ethical and responsible use of AI. This study investigates how different African stakeholders use AI in digital democracy and its impact on civic space and digital rights. It examines the multifaceted interplay between AI and digital democracy across 14 African countries (Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe), with a primary purpose to fill critical knowledge gaps regarding the impact of AI on civic space and digital rights in Africa and to provide recommendations to exploit AI to advance digital democracy on the continent.
[...] The study concludes that while AI presents transformative opportunities for strengthening digital democracy, expanding civic space, and protecting digital rights in Africa, its current trajectory is marked by an imbalance. Without a deliberate, proactive, and rights-based approach to AI governance in Africa that is inclusive, transparent, and contextually relevant, AI risks becoming a powerful tool that deepens existing inequalities, facilitates authoritarian control, and fundamentally undermines democratic values and human rights across the continent. Governments are also at a crossroads, with the choice to harness AI as a force for positive change or to deploy it as a tool for digital authoritarianism. Finally, the study highlights the need for a human-centred AI governance in Africa, through deliberate and inclusive approaches. It calls for the enactment of comprehensive AI legislation, requiring mandatory Human Rights Impact Assessments, establishing empowered AI governance institutions for an accountable sector, proactive advocacy of rights-based AI governance, building technical capacities of stakeholders and undertaking efforts to develop AI-centred policies." (Executive summary)
[...] The study concludes that while AI presents transformative opportunities for strengthening digital democracy, expanding civic space, and protecting digital rights in Africa, its current trajectory is marked by an imbalance. Without a deliberate, proactive, and rights-based approach to AI governance in Africa that is inclusive, transparent, and contextually relevant, AI risks becoming a powerful tool that deepens existing inequalities, facilitates authoritarian control, and fundamentally undermines democratic values and human rights across the continent. Governments are also at a crossroads, with the choice to harness AI as a force for positive change or to deploy it as a tool for digital authoritarianism. Finally, the study highlights the need for a human-centred AI governance in Africa, through deliberate and inclusive approaches. It calls for the enactment of comprehensive AI legislation, requiring mandatory Human Rights Impact Assessments, establishing empowered AI governance institutions for an accountable sector, proactive advocacy of rights-based AI governance, building technical capacities of stakeholders and undertaking efforts to develop AI-centred policies." (Executive summary)
1 Introduction, 9
2 Methodology, 13
3 COUNTRY CONTEXT, 14
ICT Status -- Economic and Development Status -- Political and Governance Environment
4 STUDY FINDINGS, 22
4.1 Value of AI to Africa’s Civic Space and Digital Rights: Governments and Public Sector -- Private Sector and Tech Community -- Civil Society -- Media and Journalists – Academia -- Individuals and the General Public
4.2 Challenges and Risks of AI to Digital Rights / Democracy: Proliferation of Disinformation and Election Manipulation -- Inadequate Content Moderation Systems -- Escalating Surveillance -- Algorithmic Bias and Digital Exclusion -- Other Challenges
4.3 State of AI Regulation in Africa: Current AI Regulatory and Governance Frameworks -- Application of Existing Laws and Policies to AI -- Key Gaps In The Current AI Governance Frameworks -- Main Challenges Hindering E_ective, Inclusive, Rights-Respecting and Responsible Governance Of AI -- Ongoing or Planned Initiatives by Key Stakeholders
4.4 Towards Human Rights-Centred AI Governance in Africa? Multistakeholder Mechanisms on AI Governance -- Engagement of Local and International Stakeholders In the Country In Shaping AI Norms -- Capacity of the Key Stakeholders -- Guiding or Foundational Principles and Approaches
5 DISCUSSION, 60
AI as a Tool for Empowerment and Expansion of Civic Space -- AI as a Mechanism for Control and Constriction of Civic Space -- Implications for Digital Rights and Digital Democracy -- Actions to Strengthen Participatory, Transparent, Accountable and Human Rights-Centred AI Governance
6 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS, 68
2 Methodology, 13
3 COUNTRY CONTEXT, 14
ICT Status -- Economic and Development Status -- Political and Governance Environment
4 STUDY FINDINGS, 22
4.1 Value of AI to Africa’s Civic Space and Digital Rights: Governments and Public Sector -- Private Sector and Tech Community -- Civil Society -- Media and Journalists – Academia -- Individuals and the General Public
4.2 Challenges and Risks of AI to Digital Rights / Democracy: Proliferation of Disinformation and Election Manipulation -- Inadequate Content Moderation Systems -- Escalating Surveillance -- Algorithmic Bias and Digital Exclusion -- Other Challenges
4.3 State of AI Regulation in Africa: Current AI Regulatory and Governance Frameworks -- Application of Existing Laws and Policies to AI -- Key Gaps In The Current AI Governance Frameworks -- Main Challenges Hindering E_ective, Inclusive, Rights-Respecting and Responsible Governance Of AI -- Ongoing or Planned Initiatives by Key Stakeholders
4.4 Towards Human Rights-Centred AI Governance in Africa? Multistakeholder Mechanisms on AI Governance -- Engagement of Local and International Stakeholders In the Country In Shaping AI Norms -- Capacity of the Key Stakeholders -- Guiding or Foundational Principles and Approaches
5 DISCUSSION, 60
AI as a Tool for Empowerment and Expansion of Civic Space -- AI as a Mechanism for Control and Constriction of Civic Space -- Implications for Digital Rights and Digital Democracy -- Actions to Strengthen Participatory, Transparent, Accountable and Human Rights-Centred AI Governance
6 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS, 68
