Smart City projects in 11 African countries reveal major digital authoritarianism risks

A report that compiles research findings on the implementation of AI-powered surveillance systems in 11 African countries has warned that nations deploying such systems risk collapsing into digital authoritarianism if certain safeguards are not quickly put in place.

The report by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), published this month, examines the deployment of surveillance systems aided by Chinese technology in Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The focus was on surveillance systems that monitor public spaces through facial or vehicle number plate recognition.

Edited by IDS research fellows Tony Roberts and Wairagala Wakabi, the report, which is funded by the Open Society Foundation, reveals similar risk patterns across all the deployments.

Apart from having well-known Chinese surveillance technology vendors such as Huawei and Hikvision as partners, and relying on Chinese loans, the publication notes that almost all the countries do not have dedicated legislation governing the use of public space surveillance (CCTV), facial recognition, or AI.

This situation not only creates a legal vacuum but also opens the door to mass surveillance, which violates fundamental human rights, particularly the right to privacy.

Furthermore, the justification by governments for the use of such systems, namely the need to enhance safety and security, falls flat. The report says it found “no compelling evidence” that surveillance reduces overall crime or terrorism. Instead, the surveillance infrastructure is often used to monitor political opponents, journalists, and peaceful protesters.

Aside the lack of specific legal frameworks, the report also highlighted the problem of disproportionate violation of privacy, noting that in many cases, the scale of surveillance far exceeds the actual or perceived security threat.

Other issues raised include the absence of independent oversight bodies and strong redress mechanisms, opaque procurement processes and dependency on foreign technology providers, and the tendency to repurpose surveillance infrastructure to target government critics, opposition leaders, and protesters rather than for public safety.

As corrective measures, the publication calls on these countries, and others planning to do so, to first put in place specific laws on public space surveillance that define permissible uses, limit data retention by technology providers, and require judicial authorization for certain kinds of monitoring.

It also suggests that countries must establish truly independent oversight bodies, ensure transparency in procurement, and create easy channels through which those harmed by surveillance errors or abuse can seek redress.

Another key recommendation is for governments to negotiate technology contracts in ways that protect data sovereignty and limit the sharing of data beyond territorial borders.

There has been advocacy in the past for African governments to put in place proper legislation as the biometric surveillance trend takes hold on the continent.

Article Topics

Africa  |  ANPR  |  biometric monitoring  |  biometrics  |  China  |  facial recognition  |  license plate readers  |  regulation  |  video surveillance