A post-digital analysis of Africa’s digital transformation and governance

Abstract

A pressing challenge identified in Africa's digital transformation is the uneven distribution of digital governance research and resources across the continent. This chapter addresses this challenge by providing a comprehensive analysis of Africa's digital transformation and governance through a post-digital lens, which examines the impact and deeper meanings of a seamless integration of ubiquitous digital technologies into everyday life. A big data topic modelling method, Latent Dirichlet Allocation, and qualitative thematic analysis were used to analyse the data. The main areas that emerged were policy and regulation, security, algorithmic oversight, and strategic technology integration. The post-digital lens revealed the deep integration of digital technologies into socio-economic and political structures, challenging traditional views that treat these technologies as separate entities. The findings also reveal significant progress in Africa's digital governance, yet highlight substantial gaps, particularly in areas such as policy coherence, digital literacy, and the management of digital public goods. The chapter offers valuable contributions to both theory and practice, recommending that digital technologies should be embedded within legal and operational frameworks to enhance governance outcomes. The chapter also provides practical recommendations for policymakers and practitioners, including the need for adaptive regulatory strategies, human-centred security designs, and the promotion of socio-technical systems that are culturally relevant. By aligning with the goals of the call for papers, this chapter not only advances the academic discourse on Africa’s digital governance but also provides actionable insights for fostering a more inclusive and sustainable digital future for the continent.