Launched in July 2023 at the Africa Law Tech Festival in Nairobi, the Africa Forum on Sandboxes for Data convenes leaders in government, industry, academia, civil society, and the technical community, to harness local perspectives and create trusted data-sharing solutions to address cross-border challenges in health, finance, sustainability, and AI across the continent.
The Forum builds upon the foundations laid by the Internet & Jurisdiction Policy Network’s project on Cross-border Digital Policies in Africa, advancing community-building efforts and regional policy dialogue. Its goal is to contribute to greater economic and social integration and the development of a single African digital market.
Insights and lessons from this Forum will also feed into the Global Sandboxes Forum, positioning Africa as a leader and standard-setter in adaptive, human-centric digital governance.
Launch
At the core of Datasphere Initiative’s vision is the belief that regulatory sandboxes can serve as powerful tools for bridging gaps between stakeholders, sectors, and geographies, by providing safe, collaborative spaces to test innovative data uses and regulatory models in response to real-world challenges.
Recognizing both the growing use of sandboxes across Africa and the need for greater capacity building, knowledge sharing, and active testing, the Africa Sandboxes Forum was launched on July 12, 2023, during the Africa Law Tech Festival in Nairobi. This marked the beginning of a regional platform designed to support stakeholders in shaping sandbox models that fit their local and cross-border realities.
To support this mission, the Datasphere Initiative unveiled a learning resource designed to build foundational understanding and practical skills to conceptualize and implement sandbox initiatives across jurisdictions. “A Guide to Cross-Border Sandboxes for Data” – is a curated, self-paced online course which includes a dedicated regional module on Africa, developed using insights from DI’s flagship publications:
Dialogue, sectoral deep dives & working groups
Building on its launch, Africa Sandboxes Forum hosted a series of Regulatory Roundtables that brought together African regulators, policymakers, and innovators to explore how sandboxes could unlock practical solutions in fast-evolving digital environments. This led to the formation of sectoral working groups focused on:
Through a series of interactive workshops and dialogue sessions, participants:
Co-creation, coaching & scaling Impact
As the Africa Sandboxes Forum (ASF) moves into its third phase, the focus shifts from exploration to action and scale—empowering institutions, regulators, and innovators across the continent to transform ideas into practical, inclusive solutions.
Launch of the Africa Sandboxes Outlook Report
This milestone report provides a comprehensive analysis of sandbox initiatives across Africa, showcasing their growing role in fostering innovation, enabling responsible experimentation, and informing agile policy development. The report serves as a foundational resource for governments and institutions looking to harness sandboxing as a regulatory tool for navigating emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence.
Introduction of the Sandbox Coaching Program
To strengthen institutional capacity, the Datasphere Initiative in the context of the Africa Sandbox Forum, rolled out a hands-on Sandbox Coaching Program designed for civil servants, policymakers, and regulators. The program equips participants with the knowledge and tools to design, implement, and manage effective sandbox environments by engaging in expert-led sessions, peer learning, and scenario-based exercises.
Kick-off of the Africa Sandboxes Co-Creation Labs
The Africa Sandboxes Forum’s first Co-Creation Lab was launched in Kigali during the Global AI Summit for Africa. This interactive session brought together stakeholders from government, academia, civil society, and the private sector to collaboratively explore what responsible AI sandboxes could look like in Africa. The Lab series will continue across the region, advancing inclusive co-design, ethical principles, and Africa-led sandbox models in priority sectors like health, finance, and AI.