This report examines the interplay between technology and elections in Africa during the so-called Year of Democracy, when at least 20 African countries were scheduled to go to the polls. The unprecedented increase in internet and mobile phone penetration rates, coupled with the enhanced digitalisation programmes, including the adoption of technology in electoral processes such as the use of biometric voter registration and verification applications by different governments had raised a lot of promise for better outcomes due to the anticipated increased transparency, efficiency and affordance that technology would lend to the electoral processes especially in 2024. While highlighting the growing influence of technology in elections, the study documents that much of the deployment has been characterised by risks and pitfalls where the majority of authoritarian governments have selectively deployed technology to extend their stay in power...

The main findings [are]:

• Democratic Governance Under Siege: The study noted a significant decline in the state of democratic governance in Africa, with growing authoritarianism, coups, hereditary presidencies, weakened oversight institutions, political instability and restricted political competition...
• Intensification of Digital Authoritarianism: The study notes that digital authoritarianism is a growing concern in Africa as governments continue to deploy a combination of tools and tactics of repression such as internet shutdowns, censorship of news outlets, targeted surveillance and regressive laws to limit civic participation and suppress dissent...
• The Persistent Digital Divide is Deepening Political Inequalities and Exclusion: The study further establishes that Africa’s digital divide remains a significant barrier to inclusive political participation, with rural, underserved communities, and marginalised groups disproportionately affected...

Access to data held by social media platforms remains a key obstacle to promoting information and election integrity yet qualitative and quantitative data, analysed within the specific local contexts, is crucial to understanding the nuances of disinformation, as well as its manifestation. A study found that Africa’s access to data from tech platforms such as for research and monitoring electoral integrity, is below that in Europe and North America. Increased access to platform data for African researchers, civil society organisations, and Election Management Bodies (EMBs) would enable a deeper understanding of the harms of online content on the continent, and inform mitigation strategies...

African researchers have pointed out that limited access to social media data makes studying information integrity issues almost impossible. In December 2023, stakeholders from 11 African countries called upon social media platforms to provide equal treatment to Africans in data access as provided to those from other regions...

[Refers to Meta (Facebook), Whatsapp, Telegram, TikTok, X, Google].