The Dataphyte Foundation has issued a call for enhanced electoral monitoring and data accessibility across Africa as a means to improve the continent’s electioneering processes. Joshua Olufemi, Founder of Dataphyte Foundation, made this call while speaking as a panellist during a webinar organised by the foundation on Tuesday, June 25.

The webinar, themed “Role of Technology and Data-driven Decisions in African Elections,” saw participation from over 130 individuals drawn from civil society, government, researchers, media, academics, and advocates committed to protecting Nigeria’s democracy.

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Olufemi emphasised the imperative of utilising data and insights to bolster electoral integrity, promote citizen participation, and safeguard voters’ rights across the continent. He also advocated for inclusive governance practices that empower citizens through informed decision-making, stressing the role of data in fostering transparent electoral systems.

[FILE} People cast their vote during an election in Nigeria. Joshua Olufemi, the founder of Dataphyte Foundation, has emphasised the importance of data and technology for enhanced electoral monitoring in Africa.Citing the challenges faced by female politicians in Africa during elections, Olufemi highlighted the need for strategic conversations to support women in politics.

“The biggest data out there is that only six countries globally have 50% or more women in parliament either in single, bicameral, or lower houses. Rwanda leads in Africa with over 60%. We need strategic dialogue to support women to lead, contest, and ensure policies support them,” he said.

He also pointed out the significance of addressing issues faced by people with disabilities in the electoral process.

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“Disaggregated data that helps monitor promises and policies are important. Our focus on gender issues and inclusivity is intentional,” Olufemi added.

Discussing the foundation’s approaches, Olufemi said, “Dataphyte takes about three approaches: access to data, policy insight and accountability reporting, and training and technology resourcing. These are wrapped around collaboration with platforms like Ushaidi, Connected Development, and others.”

Rhoda Omenya, Implementation and Development Manager at Ushahidi, a global not-for-profit technology company based in Kenya, also emphasised electoral integrity and inclusion. “It is crucial to engage organisations that ensure inclusivity in the election processes,” she stated. Omenya mentioned the incorporation of AI to improve the categorisation and assignment of reports, automate geo-location extraction, and translate reports from local languages into English.

Mukhtar Modibbo Halilu, Secretary-General of Follow the Money, reiterated the importance of collaboration and partnership in building trust in the electoral process. He highlighted that technology is key to ensuring transparency and that engaging young voters is essential for the future of democracy in Africa.

“The largest number of people who cast their votes in Africa are young people. And almost half of the people do not trust the electioneering process. That is why technology is the way to go. But, I tell you, we are going somewhere,” Halilu said.

The Dataphyte Foundation’s initiative reflects a growing recognition of the need for data-driven decisions to enhance electoral processes and ensure a more inclusive and transparent democratic system across Africa.

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