Value proposition

Africa's largest network of #CivicTech and #OpenData labs building digital democracy solutions.

Code for Africa (CfA) uses technology and #OpenData to build digital democracies that empower citizens.

We give citizens actionable information for better-informed decision making and digital tools to amplify their voices, so that they can hold the authorities (both governmental and corporate) to account.

We do this in a number of ways: first, by liberating the data currently locked up in governments and corporations, and using this information to build open data / open government digital "backbone"​ infrastructure.

Second, we embed technologists into civic watchdogs, the mass media, public entities, and grassroots citizen organisations to help create the tools, skills, and data necessary to engage meaningfully with the power elite.

And, third, we foster civic engagement by incubating digital storytellers and amplifying citizen voices, building digital democracy services that encourage active citizenry, and supporting evidence-based public discourse.

We have over 100 full-time in-country staff at innovation labs in 21 African countries: Bénin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe. And, we have stay in a number of non-African countries, including Canada, Georgia and Italy. CfA also has active projects in a further 10 African countries.

CfA is funded by a coalition of media organisations, citizen watchdog bodies, global technology platforms, and human rights defending donors interested in public accountability.

Open Data, Open Government, Data Journalism, Civic Engagement, Liberation Technology, Civic Technology, Investigative Journalism, Drone Journalism, Civic Drones, Disinformation, Anti Corruption, Digital Forensics, Misinformation, Fact-Checking, Senor Journalism, IOT, Citizen Data, OSINT, Open Source Intelligence, Disinformation, Influence Operations, CVE, and Countering Violent Extremism