Digital revolution in African cities: Exploring governance mechanisms to mitigate the societal impacts

Abstract

In an increasingly connected and digital African city it is crucial to identify the opportunities and challenges related to new technologies in cities to ensure that they do not create new inequalities and exclusions but contribute to the well-being of all. Governance is at the heart of this endeavour and local governments should put in place regulatory frameworks to ensure that one is left behind in African smart cities. Universal access to urban services driven by emerging technologies, the digital divide, digital inclusion, and digital rights, are all issues that emerge from the digital transformation of territories. As part of the African Cities Lab Summit 2023, young researchers met for a workshop lasting for an hour and a half on the impact of digital technology deployment in African cities. The aim was to analyze the impacts and societal challenges posed by the deployment of digital technologies in African cities in a local and global context and then to formulate recommendations for local governments. This paper summarizes the results of the discussions.