Why Africa Needs Data Embassies

The 2026 theme for Data Privacy Week, “Take Control of Your Data,” speaks to the growing imperative for sovereign nations to govern and protect their data in an increasingly digital world.

As African countries accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, data has become a strategic asset, central to national security, economic growth, and innovation. Yet many states face a persistent regulatory paradox, a strong commitment to digital sovereignty and data localization, alongside limited domestic infrastructure and technical capacity to support these ambitions.

Across the continent, this paradox is compounded by legal fragmentation, uneven regulatory maturity, and reliance on foreign digital infrastructure. While data localization laws aim to assert control, they can inadvertently deepen host-state dependence, expose countries to risks of digital expropriation, and constrain the cross-border data flows essential for regional integration and AI development.

Data Embassies: A Path Forward

One promising model is the concept of Data Embassies, servers hosted in a foreign jurisdiction but remaining under the full legal sovereignty of the originating state through binding international agreements. Like physical embassies, these digital extensions enjoy legal immunity and inviolability, ensuring continuity and control even during cyberattacks, natural disasters, or political instability.

By adopting Data Embassy models, African states can protect critical data while supporting secure cross-border data flows, aligning national data protection laws with regional integration and African Union digital transformation goals.

This webinar will examine:

Data as a strategic asset for national security, AI development, and economic growth.
Co-investment models for shared digital infrastructure that reduce costs and enhance resilience.
Regional sovereignty-sharing approaches aligned with African Union digital ambitions.
The role of domestic regulators in translating data sovereignty goals into enforceable practice.

Panelists;
Ridwan Oloyede: Co-founder, Tech Hive Advisory
Alison Tilley: Co-ordinator, Judges Matter
Dr. Fola Adeleke: Executive Director, Global Center on AI Governance

Webinar Details
Date: Wednesday, 28 January
Time: 3:00–4:00 PM SAST
Registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/NwWdjNw2R82AYWJUAX_3pA