For the first time in history, more than half of the global population will be involved in elections this year. 4.2 billion people, some eligible voters, will determine who gets to lead in an age of increased uncertainty and disruption.

The world will be keenly following the presidential contest between former US President Donald Trump and the current Vice-president Kamala Harris given its potential implications for ongoing conflicts in Europe and the Middle East. The outcome could influence geopolitical dynamics in these regions. This makes Africa’s problems look small, when they are not.

African governments, for instance, spend at least over US$1 billion on surveillance tech every year, but claim broke when it comes to funding cybersecurity infrastructure critical to digital sovereignty and the digital economy. One-third of African countries have no laws on cybercrime, electronic transactions, consumer protection, privacy, or data protection. Efforts to harmonize regulations for a digital single market across the continent have stalled due to differences. This regulatory gap creates space for America and China to compete for influence in Africa, potentially shaping how AI systems are deployed and governed on the continent and whether African nations will have control over these technologies. Additionally, these geopolitical dynamics are expected to impact Africa’s approach to AI governance. Africa must move beyond being a continent that possesses so much potential yet controls so little of its digital future.

May the outcome of this year’s elections in Africa give us leaders who put first things, first. Leadership that promotes innovation through investments in research and development, and regulates reasonably.

By Ernest Armah;

Notes from the Africa-Europe Dialogue on AI and Disinformation