Africa Moves Toward First Continental Health Data Governance Framework

African Union Member States have validated the African Continental Health Data Governance Framework, paving the way for Africa’s first common continental approach to the lawful, secure, ethical and sovereign governance of health data.

The validation took place at a two-day workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 21 to 22 October 2026, bringing together 55 AU Member States and strategic partners. The framework aims to establish an integrated African health data ecosystem in which Member States govern, protect and use health data, guiding countries in developing national legislation, policies and governance systems.

A key feature of the framework is its proposed federated approach, which would allow countries to share information securely across borders without relinquishing oversight of their national health data systems. This would enable more coordinated responses to disease outbreaks and other public health threats.

The framework builds on existing AU instruments, including the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo Convention), the AU Data Policy Framework (2022) and the Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020–2030). It addresses challenges around data sovereignty, the terms on which health data crosses borders, and the data governance foundations needed for responsible use of AI in health.

With validation now secured, Africa CDC will finalise the framework based on agreed amendments and advance it through relevant African Union policy processes, with consideration anticipated in 2027. Member States will then lead its implementation, with technical assistance from Africa CDC and Transform Health.

The framework was developed through successive consultations with AU Member States and stakeholders since 2025, enabling countries to assess its provisions against diverse legal, institutional and digital-health contexts. More than 100 stakeholders from 70 organisations provided inputs at the Africa HealthTech Summit in Kigali before the validation workshop.

For Africa, the framework represents a step toward ensuring that health data is governed on African terms, with countries retaining control over their national health data systems while enabling secure cross-border sharing. The challenge now is to move from validation to implementation, ensuring that countries domesticate the framework into national law and practice.

The framework is designed to help Member States build secure, ethical, interoperable and sovereign health data governance systems as health systems across the continent rapidly digitalise. If implemented effectively, it could strengthen disease surveillance, public health responses and healthcare delivery across Africa.

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