Arnold Kavaarpuo urges African nations to protect digital sovereignty

Dr. Arnold Kavaarpuo, the Executive Director of the Data Protection Commission (DPC), has called on African nations to prioritise the protection of their digital sovereignty by taking control of their data. Speaking during a lecture at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Dr. Kavaarpuo highlighted the growing necessity for the continent to secure its digital footprint in an increasingly data-driven global economy. He stressed that without control over their own information, African countries risk becoming digitally dependent on external powers.

A central point of Dr. Kavaarpuo’s address was the significant disparity in data infrastructure between Africa and the West. He pointed out that while the United States and Europe host thousands of data centers, the entire African continent currently accounts for fewer than 200. This infrastructure gap necessitates that most African data is stored abroad, which poses risks to privacy and national security. To address this, he proposed that local data storage solutions must be established, particularly for sensitive and crucial sectors.

Beyond infrastructure, the DPC head noted that legal frameworks are being strengthened to ensure better protection for citizens. He revealed that Ghana’s Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) is currently undergoing a review to introduce enhanced compliance measures. This legislative update aims to better align Ghana’s data protection standards with evolving technological challenges. Dr. Kavaarpuo further emphasised that protecting digital sovereignty requires collective effort, urging students and the general public to become more aware of privacy issues and "privacy by design" principles.