Data Protection Laws adoption in Africa
You’ve probably heard it a hundred times: “Just move your data to the cloud.” While this is often viewed as a straightforward solution for enhancing data accessibility and scalability, it raises important questions about compliance with cross-border data protection and localization laws.
In this blogpost, I want to introduce an interactive dashboard I’ve created that breaks down the data protection regulations in Africa. This tool is designed to help you grasp the essentials quickly, so you can manage your data confidently and stay compliant without feeling overwhelmed.
Why is it important for you?
As businesses expand to more countries, they need to store and transfer more data across borders. Data protection laws control:
- Where personal data can be stored (data localization)
- How personal data can be moved between countries (cross-border transfer)
By understanding these distinctions, you can ensure compliance without getting weighed down by irrelevant details.
What does the tool do?
The Tableau dashboard contains several tabs:
1) The ‘Summary’ tab and ‘Summary table’ tab provide an overview of localization and cross-border clauses in data protection laws.
2) The ‘Data protection law adoption’ tab contains an overview of key data protection laws in each country.
3) The ‘Data Localization in Africa’ tab classifies localization measures as:
(a) No all-encompassing rule but some data categories might have stricter controls.
(b) No mandatory localization.
(c ) No known localization.
(d) Stored within the country.
4) The ‘Cross-border transfer in Africa’ classifies cross-border measures as:
(a) Cross-border data flows require adequate protection
(b) Cross-border data flows require contractual safeguards, prior authorization, or adequacy decisions by authorities
(c ) Absence of cross-border data flow restrictions
(d) Cross-border data transfers are permissible only if the recipient country ensures a comparable level of protection.
If you spot any errors in the categories or find missed clauses in the legal extracts, let me know. I’ve grouped permissions across categories to make them more comparable, but there’s always room for refinement. For more granular details, the .xls file at https://github.com/eponkratova/articles/tree/master/dp_laws provides a deeper dive.
Useful Resources To Dive Deeper
If you want to explore the intricacies of data protection laws globally and in Africa, in particular, and cross-border transfer in more detail, here are some key resources:
