As Africa moves toward a Single Digital Market, the urgency for harmonized cross-border regulation and responsible AI governance continues to grow. Seamless cross-border data flows are key to unlocking the continent’s potential in trade, financial inclusion, and digital innovation. The rapid adoption of emerging technologies, coupled with the rise of regulatory sandboxes, offers a unique and timely opportunity to shape a harmonized, forward-looking digital economy.
The Africa Sandboxes for AI Co-Creation Lab, hosted as a fringe event to the 8th Edition of the Network of African Data Protection Authorities (NADPA) Conference in Abuja from May 6–8, 2025, will explore how regulatory sandboxes can support responsible AI adoption and enable data-driven innovation across borders.
Under the NADPA theme “Balancing Innovation in Africa: Data Protection and Privacy in Emerging Technologies” and its sub-themes on fintech innovation and cross-border digital trade, the Lab will convene policymakers, regulators, private sector leaders, and civil society to co-create interoperable, inclusive, and privacy-conscious sandbox frameworks. It will spotlight the potential of cross-border regulatory sandboxes to facilitate trusted data flows and scale innovation, drawing from the two newly launched publications by the Datasphere Initiative. This session aims to catalyze a regional approach to responsible AI experimentation, promote policy harmonization, and deepen private sector engagement.
Day: May 9, 2025
Time: 8:00am – 1:00pm WAT
Address: Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre – One memorial drive, Central Business District, Abuja
Register your interest before May 8, 2025 and join us in Abuja for the second Africa Sandboxes Co-Creation Lab.
Visit the African Sandboxes Forum page the know more.
