Source: Michael Kwet, “Digital Colonialism: The Evolution of US Empire,” Transnational Institute Longread
In the 21st-century digital landscape, power is increasingly exercised not through territorial conquest but through control over data, networks, and digital infrastructure. Sub-Saharan Africa sits at the crossroads of this new frontier—its digital transformation shaped not by local autonomy, but by the growing influence of tech giants and governments from the United States and China.
Google dominates South Africa’s internet search traffic with over 92% of all queries, while Chinese telecom giant Huawei has built over 70% of Africa’s 4G networks. While these partnerships are often seen as drivers of development, critics argue that they replicate exploitative power dynamics akin to 19th-century colonialism—now in digital form.
This phenomenon, dubbed digital colonialism, describes how powerful countries and corporations exert control over less-developed nations through technological dominance, economic leverage, and data extraction. Though cloaked in the language of innovation and connectivity, this digital hegemony echoes the imperialist strategies of the past.
Old Hierarchies in New Code
Both China and the U.S. promote expansive digital policies in Africa—China through its Belt and Road Initiative and the U.S. through the Digital Transformation with Africa initiative. Though differing in tone and strategy, both foster long-term dependencies. As African countries adopt foreign hardware, software, and cloud infrastructure, they relinquish control over data and become reliant on external tech ecosystems.
This dependency undermines local innovation. Platforms like Uber have captured large shares of urban markets—extracting significant commission fees—while sidelining local businesses. In e-commerce, Western and Chinese-backed platforms like Jumia, Takealot, and Kilimall have displaced traditional retailers, contributing to a 14% decline in brick-and-mortar outlets across the region.
The New Gold Rush: Data Extraction
Today’s digital colonizers aren’t looting minerals—but data. Foreign firms collect massive amounts of personal and behavioral information without local regulation or profit-sharing. China’s deployment of facial recognition technology in countries like Zimbabwe is one such example, with millions of images used to enhance Chinese AI systems—without consent or transparency.
Meanwhile, U.S. tech companies have embedded themselves into Africa’s education systems. Microsoft and Google offer software “for free,” but in exchange gain access to student data, shaping curricula and digital habits. According to scholars like Giselle Ferreira, this renders local cultural and educational needs invisible under a homogenizing tech agenda.
Security and Sovereignty at Risk
These power dynamics extend into surveillance and state governance. Because key services are hosted outside national borders, African governments often struggle to access data about their own citizens. In South Africa, for example, legal access to user information from platforms like Facebook or Google depends on treaties with the U.S.
This lack of digital sovereignty compromises national security, policymaking, and law enforcement. Despite warnings from Western countries about the risks of working with Huawei, many African leaders, constrained by cost and infrastructure gaps, have had little choice but to proceed.
A Digital Fightback?
Some countries are pushing back. South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), enacted in 2013, is an early attempt to reclaim data rights and regulate privacy. But many argue more comprehensive and coordinated policies are needed across the continent to counter digital dependency.
As Africa builds its digital future, the challenge will be to create inclusive, sovereign systems that serve local communities rather than foreign shareholders. Only then can the continent avoid repeating the mistakes of its colonial past—this time in code.
Written by Cassie Zheng
