The global economy is increasingly reliant on digital data. Electronic transactions, mobile communications, digitized administrative services, and online commerce platforms generate enormous volumes of information every day. This data has become a sought-after economic resource, as its analysis allows businesses to anticipate consumer behavior, optimize public policies, and improve their management. In African economies, this intangible resource is also beginning to gain importance as digital practices become more widespread.

Data production has accelerated sharply with the widespread adoption of mobile phones and digital financial services. According to the International Telecommunication Union, mobile phone penetration exceeds 80% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa.

In several countries, mobile payments already represent a significant share of daily transactions. In Kenya, for example, transactions carried out via mobile money platforms accounted for more than 70% of the gross domestic product in 2023. This type of service generates a considerable amount of information on consumption habits, financial flows, and territorial dynamics.

This data can also enhance the efficiency of public administrations. Digital registers facilitate taxpayer identification, the management of social assistance, and the monitoring of economic activity. In several African countries, tax authorities are increasingly using the traces left by electronic payments to better map economic activity. This development can help broaden the tax base while improving understanding of local economic dynamics.

However, the transformation of this data into economic value remains incomplete. A large portion of strategic digital infrastructure remains controlled by international companies.

According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), less than 1% of the world's data center capacity is currently located in Africa. This means that information generated on the continent is often stored or processed elsewhere, limiting local economic benefits and reducing control over information flows.

Faced with this situation, several countries have launched initiatives to structure their digital economies. Legislation governing the protection of personal data has been adopted, and investments in data centers are increasing.

In Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya, new data centers are being developed to strengthen local storage and analysis capacities.

In this still-evolving landscape, data appears less as an immediately available resource than as a resource whose potential remains to be structured. Economic gains will largely depend on the ability of states and businesses to develop digital infrastructures, train data analysis specialists, and establish stable regulatory frameworks.

For African economies, data is gradually emerging as a potential economic lever, the exploitation of which still largely needs to be organized.