ECA unveils inaugural Africa Data Revolution Report

Abstract

The African Centre for Statistics at the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has launched the Africa Data Revolution Report 2016, a biennial report highlighting developments in African national data ecosystems. The first ADRR focuses on mapping the data ecosystem in Africa with reference to the production, distribution and use of data by public, private and civil society actors, as they relate to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The report identifies and describes key actors, communities and systems, their capacities, interactions and ‘rules of the game’, the enabling environment, and the laws, regulations and principles that govern the production, dissemination and use of data in Africa. The ADRR assesses the infrastructure requirements and the nature and impacts of prevailing protocols governing data production on the continent, openness, analysis, privacy and ethics in Africa, focusing on open data systems, big data and innovations. Based on the analysis of data ecosystems in Africa, the ADRR identifies challenges to the data revolution in the legal, legislative and policy frameworks or principles; financial investments; technology and infrastructure; and data governance areas.