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The Economy of Data

Understanding the foundational inputs that will power AI in Africa.

Essays on data governance, privacy, open data, skills and the political economy of artificial intelligence — written by Linet Kwamboka.

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Data Privacy and Protection in Election Systems

To qualify as a voter in a Kenyan election, one must be a Kenyan citizen, be above the age of 18, hold a national ID or passport, and register as a voter. After registration, voters are encouraged to verify their details through the online and mobile systems set up by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), as required under the elections laws. The details collected include a voter's ID or passport number, name, age, gender, and birthdate — the same details verified through the online and mobile checks.

· Linet Kwamboka · 8 min read

Data Governance & Privacy

Privacy in The Era of Big Data

‘Data is the currency we use to access free services’ In an age where the Internet does not forget, access to technology and technological devices is not only easy but cheap. People are using all kinds of tech products and services and most users sign on to these services without reading through the fine print […]

· Linet Kwamboka · 2 min read

Digital Economy

The Political Economy of Skills in the AI World.

The tech bros have over the past year or so made one message very clear. AI will replace most of our jobs in the very near future. Top of the chopping board in this messaging has been the replacement of computing and engineering jobs that just a few years ago were the crown jewel of […]

· Linet Kwamboka · 3 min read

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AI & Africa

Unite and Conquer – How Africa Can Beat the Odds to Become an AI Hub

A few weeks ago, in his keynote to Kenyans, the president of Kenya admitted that building AI data centers in Kenya (as it is in many countries) is a pipe dream. This followed an agreement signed between Microsoft, The Government of Kenya and G42. He admitted that, to build an efficient data center requires about […]

· Linet Kwamboka · 4 min read

AI & Africa

The Paradox of Language Data

A few days ago, speaking to a couple friends, I asked them the cliché thing you ask people who do not speak your native language, ‘how do you say ‘hello’ in your mother-tongue?’. My friends are a little over the youth group age, grew up in a setting where they spoke their native language and […]

· Linet Kwamboka · 4 min read

Digital Economy

Schrödinger’s AI Bubble: The Unobserved Economy of Data.

In quantum mechanics, the thought experiment of Schrödinger’s cat illustrates a system trapped in superposition: alive and dead until the box is opened and observed. The current AI investment craze may be exhibiting a similar paradox: is the bubble bursting, or is it still fully alive? Not too long ago, we started…

· Linet Kwamboka · 2 min read

Policy & Statistics

Restoring Confidence: Building Trust in National Data Systems.

This post is co-authored by Linet Kwamboka Nyang’au and Ambassador Prof. Bitange Ndemo (Kenya’s Ambassador to the European Union) in celebration of World Statistics Day 2025. The worth of a nation is determined by how much reliable and precise statistics it can generate. Governments access reliable and precise…

· Linet Kwamboka & Ambassador Prof. Bitange Ndemo · 6 min read

AI & Africa

AI in Everyday Work & Life

A couple of weeks ago, I put out a survey on my socials titled ‘AI in Everyday Work & Life: Insights for Policy and Innovation.’ The idea behind this survey was to start to understand how different people are using AI and the new and emerging models in their day to day life, and if […]

· Linet Kwamboka · 3 min read

AI & Africa

The Journey to AI Maturity in Africa.

Around the world, AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day reality transforming industries and societies. For Africa, embracing AI is a critical step towards economic growth, innovation, and solving unique challenges. However, the path to AI maturity is not linear. It’s a journey best understood as a…

· Linet Kwamboka · 4 min read

AI & Africa

Artificial Intelligence, The Elephant in the Africa Room.

In the timeless parable of the blind men and the elephant, each man touches a different part of the creature; a tusk, a tail, a leg and comes to a wildly different conclusion about what he’s experiencing and what an elephant is to them. One insists it is a spear, another a rope, another a […]

· Linet Kwamboka · 5 min read

AI & Africa

In God we trust, all others bring data (for AI).

Data continues to be one of the most underrated things when it comes to the conversation about life as we know it today. In the era of emerging technologies, beyond the infrastructure, capacity, investments, algorithms etc, data remains king, it drives everything. On the African continent, the data conversation has…

· Linet Kwamboka · 3 min read

Data Governance & Privacy

The Internet and You. Us.

‘Data is the currency we use to access free services’ By Linet Kwamboka Image Source The past year has been one of the most fulfilling years in my pursuit to sharpen my expertise on the issues of privacy and data protection. The quote that is my headline, above, came from an unknown source and really […]

· Linet Kwamboka · 4 min read

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