Ouagadougou: On the occasion of the 38th Day of Tribute to the Father of the Burkinabe Revolution, President Thomas Sankara, African experts led a panel on Tuesday on the theme: “Youth, Technology and Innovation for the Transformation of Africa”, inviting African States to free themselves from “digital imperialism”.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Cameroonian speaker Nathalie Yamb emphasized that mobile phones, the Internet, and new technologies are not merely tools for communication or entertainment but strategic weapons in new forms of global domination. “We are in a new war zone: the digital space. We need patriotic armies and warriors in this area,” she urged, calling upon African governments to recognize the risks and strive towards building African cyber sovereignty.
Ms. Yamb proposed legislative measures on data protection by African states, taxation on digital platforms without local representation, and the establishment of data centers on the continent. She also advocated for the formation of a Digital Alliance of Sahel States and an African Agency for Cybersecurity and Digital Sovereignty to pool resources and protect the continent’s strategic interests.
“All countries aware of their sovereignty require that their citizens’ data be hosted on their soil. Why not us?” Nathalie Yamb questioned, referencing examples from Russia, China, and India.
Addressing the sub-theme “African youth as a driving force of technological and social revolutions,” Burkinabe panelist Serge Imhotep Bayala highlighted that youth, who make up 70% of Africa’s population, are a vital force that should be nurtured and leveraged. He stressed the importance of channeling this demographic energy toward technological innovation rather than mere consumption, citing practical applications in health, agriculture, and logistics as examples.
On the social front, speakers noted that digital proficiency can significantly enhance daily life. Local applications already facilitate locating on-call pharmacies, paying bills from home, and finding the nearest health centers.
The third panelist, Djakarya Ouabo, underscored the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in capacity building, especially in education, research, and agriculture. Nevertheless, he cautioned about the potential risks of AI and recommended developing a local AI infrastructure capable of hosting government data to mitigate cybercrime threats.
Finally, participants emphasized the need to root technology in African realities, akin to practices in China or the United States, to prevent mere cultural imitation.
This gathering, organized as part of the commemorative activities for the 38th anniversary of President Thomas Sankara’s assassination, attracted numerous young people, researchers, and digital professionals from across the African continent.