Across Africa, different civic tech initiatives have been developed to bring the public to the center of democratic governance. Seeking to interact with interlocutors in government–on the executive, legislative, and judicial levels–they raise awareness, generate and organize engagements, demand better governance and try to strengthen the participation of citizens in public life. However, governments in Africa tend to be less cooperative with these initiatives than elsewhere.

While the advent of smartphones has accelerated the penetration of civic technology, its endless possibilities also faces its own fair share of challenges. In some countries, it has triggered a backlash from governments in the form of internet shutdowns, cyber-surveillance, and the reality of access to the internet in Africa which stands at 43%. 

In this report, we analysed the work and impact of 21 civictech organizations and tools across Africa, spotlighting their stories and how they have created change through the use of technology to address the social challenges facing governance and service delivery in Africa.

You can read the report here