Africa’s digital transformation is gaining momentum as governments, private sector players, and development partners push toward more integrated and technology-driven economies.
Central to this progress is the emergence of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), which refers to shared systems that enable identity verification, authentication, digital payments, data exchange, and e-governance.
Unlike proprietary solutions, DPI is designed as a population-scale layer that supports both public services and private innovation.
With more than 600 million people across the continent still unconnected or underserved, DPI has become a critical foundation for ensuring that connectivity evolves into meaningful digital participation.
Identity as the First Step to Inclusion
Foundational digital identity systems are proving to be the gateway to digital inclusion. Nigeria’s National Identification Number (NIN) program now boasts over 100 million registered citizens and has become a requirement for essential services ranging from SIM registration to banking.
Morocco has introduced a biometric-enabled digital identity system that streamlines access to financial and public services, while Kenya’s attempt at establishing a unified digital identity through Huduma Namba sought to consolidate citizenship and social service records, although rollout has been slowed by regulatory and privacy challenges.
Without secure and universal digital identity, millions remain invisible within public services and the digital economy.
International development institutions have repeatedly noted how the absence of legal identity excludes citizens from healthcare, insurance, financial services, and social protection systems. DPI seeks to close this access gap.
Digital Payments Fueling Financial Integration
Digital payments represent another core component of DPI, reflecting Africa’s rise as one of the world’s most dynamic fintech markets. However, long-term impact depends not only on innovation, but on interoperability and regional integration.
The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), launched by Afreximbank, allows instant cross-border payments in local currencies, reducing dependence on foreign intermediaries. In Egypt, the Meeza national digital payments ecosystem supports secure processing of government transfers, pensions, and subsidies. Ghana’s mobile money interoperability framework connects banks with telecom networks, enabling seamless transfers between mobile wallets and financial institutions.
These developments demonstrate how DPI can expand financial inclusion and align with broader economic frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which places emphasis on payment harmonization to boost intra-African trade.
The Next Wave: Data Exchange Platforms
The next stage of DPI evolution involves secure data exchange layers that connect government platforms, private service providers, and citizen-facing applications. These systems introduce “tell us once” governance models that significantly reduce administrative friction.
Rwanda has been a pioneer through its IremboGov platform, which digitizes more than 100 public services, enabling online permit requests, documentation processing, and payments. Mauritius is advancing interoperability frameworks that connect customs, logistics, and trade platforms to reduce delays and improve transparency.
By linking fragmented databases and simplifying service delivery, these platforms enhance trust, efficiency, and citizen experience.
Telecom Infrastructure: Unlocking DPI’s Potential
Telecommunications networks remain the physical foundation that enables DPI to function at scale. Operators such as Safaricom have expanded nationwide 4G and 5G coverage in Kenya, supporting digital classrooms, telehealth services, mobile commerce, and enterprise connectivity.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies has developed one of Africa’s largest terrestrial fiber networks, extending cloud and connectivity services across multiple countries. Meanwhile, satellite connectivity models such as Starlink’s entry into African markets are providing high-speed access to remote and underserved areas traditionally overlooked due to high deployment costs and challenging terrain.
Together, these investments extend the reach of DPI beyond major cities and into rural communities where connectivity gaps are most severe.
Addressing Governance and Technical Challenges
Despite encouraging progress, the implementation of DPI in Africa still faces practical and regulatory hurdles. Fragmented national regulations complicate cross-border interoperability, while varying levels of cybersecurity and data privacy protections create concerns around digital trust and sovereignty.
Adoption has been slowed by divergent governance, licensing, and data-residency rules across blocs such as ECOWAS, SADC, and the EAC. At the same time, only a subset of major economies—South Africa (POPIA), Nigeria (NDPR), and Kenya (Data Protection Act)—have enforceable privacy regimes, leaving many markets without strong supervisory capacity and increasing sovereignty concerns for digital ID, health, and fintech platforms.
Cybersecurity readiness is similarly uneven, with countries like Rwanda and Morocco operating mature national CERTs while others remain dependent on donor-backed systems, despite Africa accounting for more than 3,000 attacks per week on average. Although nearly 50 African countries have launched digital ID programs, systems such as Nigeria’s NIN, Kenya’s Huduma Namba, and South Africa’s Home Affairs largely operate in silos, limiting mutual recognition and constraining regional financial inclusion, mobility, and digital service delivery.
Digital literacy gaps, high device costs, and limited last-mile infrastructure remain barriers for low-income and rural populations. In light of this, Africa’s DPI journey requires collaboration across sectors and borders:
Governments should focus on policy and regulatory development, telecom operators should provide the connectivity backbone, fintech and cybersecurity companies should build supportive platforms.
Regional initiatives such as the Smart Africa Alliance, the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy 2030, and AfCFTA’s emerging integration mechanisms are accelerating standard harmonization and interoperability efforts across the continent.
Ensuring Digital Inclusion at Scale
Scaling digital public infrastructure in Africa is ultimately a socio-economic priority rather than a purely technological objective. As digital identity systems, interoperable payment networks, and shared data exchange layers mature, DPI will transform connectivity from basic internet access into active digital participation. The countries that succeed will enable citizens to transact, learn, work, and engage in the digital economy without exclusion.
The future of Africa’s digital landscape will be defined by how effectively DPI can be expanded to include all communities, ensuring that the digital era delivers equitable opportunity rather than deepened inequality.
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