Imagine a city plans to build a new transit system to ease congestion and connect underserved neighborhoods. Engineers draft an ambitious blueprint, but critical data on traffic patterns, population growth, and commuter needs is missing or unreliable. Without this information, planners are left guessing – risking costly mistakes and a system that fails to serve its purpose.
For governments striving to create opportunities and tackle big challenges, data is more than just a resource. When effectively governed, used, and shared, it becomes a powerful tool for transformation. And for these governments, having a solid data strategy is no longer optional; it’s imperative.
As highlighted in the Africa Data Leadership Initiative (ADLI) sessions, trust is the critical enabler that allows data to reach its full potential. ADLI brings together policymakers and data practitioners across Africa to address local and regional data challenges and foster innovation. Across the series of discussions on data governance, data sharing, and protection, a common theme emerged: building public trust in data systems is essential for unlocking data’s value.
So, how can policymakers earn and keep the trust of the community while building data exchange systems that can take full advantage of the data opportunity?
Below, we outline four key insights and strategies offered by the ADLI data practitioners.
1. Enacting laws and enforcing regulation
In 2008, Ghana faced an e-commerce blacklist due to international perceptions of inadequate legal structures to prosecute internet crimes. To restore trust, the Ghanaian Parliament enacted the Electronic Transactions Act, which criminalized specific online offences and set a framework for accountability. This law, alongside the Electronic Communications Act (and later, the Data Protection Act of 2012), work together to safeguard personal data and regulate online behavior. By laying the groundwork for secure and transparent digital transactions, these laws help to legitimize the digital economy while fostering growth and innovation across the technology sector. And by establishing a trustworthy digital environment, this new regulatory framework encourages local and international confidence in Ghana’s online ecosystem.
But policies on paper alone are not enough. Trust in data systems also depends on strong, well-funded regulatory bodies. Nascent Data Protection Authorities in particular, face significant challenges in enforcing newly enacted laws. Limited funding, legal ambiguities, and a lack of local technical expertise can affect their ability to enforce laws and implement redressal mechanisms. Capacity building and collaboration with the more established data protection agencies in Africa are vital to overcoming these hurdles and establishing a foundation of trust.
2. Demonstrating tangible benefits through collaborative, data-driven governance
Making governance decisions grounded in data and evidence has the potential to increase transparency, which in turn builds trust. The Data Cities program, led by Toro Dev, is focused on using digital technologies to enhance governance in Uganda’s recently established cities. Now in the first phase of an eight-year initiative, the program seeks to integrate data-driven practices into urban policymaking. Through close collaboration with city authorities, the program is establishing data governance frameworks that define the principles and processes essential for effective city management. A significant aspect of the program is the integration of citizen-generated data to inform local decisions. The program is also leveraging AI tools for data collection and analysis to strengthen data governance frameworks and maximize the cities’ capacity to respond. Empowering citizens to use and contribute to decision-making, creating a government responsive to their needs, and showcasing visible improvements to local governance, this program helps to create a trustworthy relationship between the government and the governed.
Another standout example of how organizations can build trust with communities through inclusive, community-driven data practices, is Kenyan non-profit tech company Ushahidi. Ushahidi’s crowd-sourcing platform allows anyone to collect and share data to drive local change. By empowering disenfranchised groups, Ushahidi fosters a collaborative environment where communities are active participants, not just data sources. The platform’s open-source, multilingual approach and accessible design allow local stakeholders to contribute meaningfully and see the tangible impact of their contributions. Projects like the Tana River climate initiative highlight the power of citizen-generated data to influence policy, revealing critical insights like tax disparities that affect local conservation efforts. Ushahidi’s commitment to user-centered support, clear problem identification, and inclusive engagement ensures that the data collected is relevant, for both communities and decision-makers. This approach not only builds trust but also underscores the potential of data as a shared resource for driving social progress.
3. Using data to support businesses builds the trust that fuels innovation
InSIST Global, one of the largest software development firms in The Gambia, is dedicated to supporting the expansion of start-ups and small and medium enterprises. One of its flagship products, Afrijula, assists African merchants—especially young and women entrepreneurs—by digitizing business processes, collecting data, and generating financial reports. This not only helps them run their businesses but also improves access to financing. Integrated with microfinance institutions, the platform enables merchants to apply for loans and submit financial reports directly. This helps to increase trust between businesses, financial institutions and consumers. Afrijula, described as a “QuickBooks for African merchants,” is designed with a user-centric approach, featuring color-coded navigation and audio assistance in local languages to support non-literate and semi-literate users.
Through their mission to promote food safety, support local farmers, and enhance environmental sustainability through the use of data, Green Giraffe builds trust between local farmers and consumers through a Blockchain-enabled traceability system that provides transparent data from farm to snack. By leveraging AI for real-time monitoring, Green Giraffe ensures data integrity and accountability in food safety. This data builds consumer trust by providing verifiable records of product origins, optimizing supply chain processes, and improving product quality and efficiency.
In both cases, trust in the systems and the transparency of data processes fuel innovation, empower users, and increase market access for local businesses.
4. Harnessing technology to strengthen trust
Technical safeguards are essential for data sharing. Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), such as encryption, pseudonymization, and anonymization, have emerged as critical tools. These technologies play a central role in maintaining data confidentiality and ensuring compliance with legal standards. For instance, Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act mandates PETs, underscoring the importance of technological safeguards in building trust.
Through the ADLI curriculum, African data practitioners were also introduced to the Account Aggregator (AA) model in India, which provides an excellent example of how technology can increase trust through enabling transparency. Through its unique infrastructure, the AA system enables secure data sharing with explicit user consent, giving users the power to control their data. This model highlights how security and transparency can coexist in a data-rich environment, fostering user confidence and encouraging broader participation in digital systems.
Data is extremely valuable. And trust is the currency with which we buy it.
As seen in these examples from Ghana, Uganda, The Gambia, Zambia and beyond, policies and technologies that prioritize trust fuel greater engagement and confidence across sectors. Whether through robust legal frameworks, community-driven data governance, user-centered technology, or advanced privacy-enhancing tools, trust in data systems not only creates value but also fosters resilient communities, inclusive growth, and sustainable progress in the digital economy.
By embracing trust as a core principle, organizations, governments, and communities can work together to harness the full power of data for societal good. To explore more ways to build trust and pursue people-centered data practices, head over to the Principles for Digital Development. Get involved in the community by becoming an endorser or contributing to the library of resources.
In 2025, we will be kicking off the next cohort of the Africa Data Leaders Initiative. Follow along as we share more of what we’re learning.
