The African Union Wants To Make Government Services More Digital Across Africa

The African Union is taking another step toward making government services across Africa more digital with the launch of a new continental e-governance platform through the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The idea is fairly simple: use technology to make government systems work better, improve access to public services and help African countries learn from what is already working elsewhere on the continent.

In many countries, getting basic government documents or completing administrative processes can still mean paperwork, long lines and several trips to government offices. Moving more of these services online could make everyday tasks such as applying for permits, requesting certificates or accessing public information much easier.

Digital systems can also improve transparency. When processes can be completed and tracked electronically, there are fewer opportunities for paperwork to disappear, unnecessary delays to occur or citizens to depend entirely on face-to-face interactions with officials.

One of the more interesting parts of the initiative is its focus on sharing knowledge between African countries. Africa’s 55 countries have different governments and systems, but many deal with similar problems when it comes to public services, bureaucracy and transparency. Instead of every country developing solutions from scratch, the platform could make it easier for governments to learn from programs that have already worked elsewhere.

There are already examples on the continent. Rwanda’s IremboGov platform allows people to access a wide range of government services online, reducing the need to visit government offices for many routine transactions. Kenya has also expanded access to public services through its eCitizen platform, which serves as an online gateway for services including business registration, driving licences and immigration-related applications.

Experiences like these could provide useful lessons for other countries looking to digitize their own government services. If one country develops a system that works well, others could learn from it and adapt parts of it to fit their own needs instead of starting from zero.

The African Peer Review Mechanism was created to promote better governance and development across the continent. Adding a stronger digital component reflects how much technology has changed the way people expect to interact with institutions.

That is especially relevant in Africa, where a large young population already uses smartphones and digital platforms for banking, shopping, transportation, communication and entertainment. For many people, being able to handle more government services from a phone or computer would be a natural next step.

There could also be broader benefits. Better digital access can make it easier for citizens to find information, follow government programs and understand how public institutions are operating. It could also reduce some of the bureaucracy that makes simple government processes more difficult and time-consuming than they need to be.

But putting services online doesn’t automatically solve every problem. Internet access remains uneven across the continent, and not everyone has reliable connectivity, a smartphone or the digital skills needed to use online government services. Governments will also have to consider cybersecurity, data protection and how people without reliable digital access will continue to receive essential services.

Those challenges will play a major role in determining how successful Africa’s shift toward e-governance ultimately becomes. If countries can address them while building systems that are actually easy for people to use, digital government could make a noticeable difference in everyday life.

The African Union’s new platform points to a larger change already happening across the continent. As more of everyday life moves online, government services are increasingly expected to do the same.

For millions of Africans, the real test will be simple: Does going digital actually make dealing with government easier?