Research Report: Understanding the African Civic Tech Ecosystem

In recent years, the African continent has witnessed a burgeoning interest in civic technology (civic tech), with numerous initiatives emerging across various countries. These initiatives encompass a wide range of digital tools and platforms aimed at enhancing civic engagement, promoting transparency and accountability, and fostering democratic participation. However, despite the growing importance of civic tech in Africa, there remains a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding the overall ecosystem, including the key players, challenges, and opportunities.

Author: Yasmin Shapurjee

This Research Report is one of the outcomes of the African Union Civic Tech Fund (AUCTF) 2.0, a programme that is anchored in the African Union Commission (AUC) Women, Gender and Youth Directorate, with financial and technical support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) that aims to strengthen the role of technology in improving governance and development across Africa. The research intends to support the AUCTF programme by identifying and analysing the key ecosystem players in the African civic tech sector and the broader digital innovation sector.

As a baseline study for the AUCTF, this research report aims to map the African civic tech ecosystem to provide insights into the diverse landscape of initiatives, opportunities, and challenges. By doing so, the study seeks to enhance understanding of the “playing field” and identify areas for intervention and collaboration to further strengthen civic tech initiatives across Africa.