Digital Colonialism: The New Scramble for Africa

It’s disconcerting to witness history repeating itself, echoing the past with uncanny precision. At the tail end of the 19th century, the Berlin Conference saw European powers carve up the African continent—relationships that excluded the very people they affected. Fast forward to today, and we find tech companies engaging in a similar maneuver, determining Africa’s digital landscape while leaving many African voices unheard. The colonial era’s railway systems laid tracks for resource extraction; today’s tech giants erect data centers and fiber-optic cables, channeling data generated in Africa straight to Silicon Valley. Though the raw material has changed, the method of extraction remains hauntingly consistent.

The Mechanics of Digital Extraction

Take, for instance, Facebook’s Free Basics program. Advertised as a benevolent initiative to provide limited internet access across Africa, its structure belies its philanthropic image. Users can only access specific apps within a confined digital environment curated by Facebook, restricting their full internet experience. This creates a “digital enclosure,” where access is delimited by corporate interests rather than genuine connectivity. In 2016, India banned Free Basics over net neutrality concerns, highlighting how infrastructure shapes dialogue based on the provider’s identity.

Defining Progress: Who Holds the Authority?

At the heart of the discourse on Digital Colonialism lies a critical philosophical question reminiscent of traditional colonialism: Who gets to dictate what progress means? Colonial officers believed they introduced “civilization” to Africa, much like today’s tech executives argue they deliver “connectivity” to the continent. Both groups assume that models that worked in London or Silicon Valley will similarly thrive in Lagos or Nairobi. However, as Michael Kwet—the originator of the term “Digital Colonialism”—points out, the issue isn’t that technology itself is harmful; rather, it is steeped in the power relations inherent in its original context.

The Data Economy: A New Form of Extraction

The asymmetry created by the data economy only amplifies existing global disparities in wealth and power. Consider a rural Kenyan farmer using an app to check local crop prices. The data generated travels across the globe to a server in the U.S., where algorithms analyze it and return insights—often at a significant cost. While the farmer provides raw data, he captures none of its transformative value. This starkly resembles colonial extraction of gold and rubber, now merely substituting personal behavior and attention as the new “raw material.”

The Invisible Mechanisms of Digital Colonialism

One of the most troubling aspects of digital colonialism is its invisibility. Unlike traditional colonialism, which was marked by visible military and bureaucratic forces, digital colonialism operates through opaque algorithms and service agreements that obscure mechanisms of exploitation. For instance, TikTok curates African content based on algorithms that replicate the control previously held by colonial censors, albeit in a less visible manner.

Acknowledging African Innovations

Tech companies often argue they are catalyzing development in Africa, pointing to mobile money solutions in Kenya or the burgeoning startup scenes in cities like Lagos and Nairobi as examples of progress. While these claims hold merit, it’s crucial to recognize that successful innovations often stem from local expertise rather than foreign imposition. Mobile money, for example, emerged from Safaricom’s deep understanding of Kenyan needs. However, foreign corporations frequently fail to consider local contexts, leading to misaligned and potentially harmful technological experiences.

The Weight of Technological Dependence

The metaphor of a “scramble” remains apt as digital colonialism creates artificial dependencies reminiscent of historic colonialism. Just as colonial powers stunted industrial development in their colonies, today’s technology giants maintain African nations’ reliance on non-African cloud infrastructures and platforms. This structural dependency is further entrenched by market dynamics; companies like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure dominate the marketplace, effectively locking local developers into their ecosystems and discouraging independence.

Navigating Sovereignty in the Digital Age

The discourse around digital colonialism also invokes questions of sovereignty. Can a nation be digitally sovereign when control over its data and digital infrastructure lies in foreign hands? Traditional notions of sovereignty emphasize territorial authority; however, digital systems challenge this, as data and algorithms frequently flow across borders, complicating control.

Resistance and Emerging Sovereignty

Yet, resistance is budding across the continent. Nigeria’s Data Protection Regulation mandates that specific information must remain within its borders. Rwanda is investing in its tech ecosystem, and South Africa explores competitive tactics against market monopolies. Despite these initiatives facing obstacles, they represent hopeful strides toward redefining digital landscapes.

Historical Parallels and Future Outlook

Drawing parallels to history reveals a cyclical pattern of extraction and dependence, reminiscent of the colonial extraction of natural resources. If Africa fails to establish its own digital services and industries, it risks reverting to a state of dependence on foreign entities for everything digital. This brings to light a stark reality: Africa’s burgeoning youthful demographic—an asset in the digital economy—could severely miss out on opportunities due to external technological control.

Seeking Digital Sovereignty

Digital sovereignty isn’t about rejecting foreign technologies outright; it’s about reclaiming agency. It entails shaping how technology is used in local contexts, forming alternatives to imported products, and crafting regulatory frameworks that benefit societies holistically. Achieving this vision is challenging, as current dynamics siphon resources necessary for developing digital sovereignty—mirroring historical colonial extraction patterns.

The Road Ahead: Caution and Opportunity

As technology corporations delineate Africa’s digital boundaries, the continent stands at a pivotal moment. Access to the internet is on the rise, and so is local infrastructure development. The potential for creating solutions lies in the hands of Africans who recognize the urgency of establishing regulatory practices and pursuing genuine digital sovereignty. The success of these efforts remains uncertain, but acknowledging the legacy of colonialism is a vital initial step in cultivating a brighter future—one where Africa has a voice in shaping its own digital landscape.