Africans must protect access to their data – tech expert

PARIS. With Africa heralded as the next market frontier for tech giants, the continent must urgently adopt data protection laws, a French tech startup chief executive, has warned.
Mr Lionel Baraban, the chief executive officer of Famoco, which majors in android transactional devices and validations, told Daily Monitor at the company’s offices in Paris, France that it is currently “problematic and dangerous” for users to have their data left entirely in the hands of foreign companies.
“One of the biggest problems as far as the digital revolution is concerned is: Where does the data and metadata reside? If it’s in the hands of Google or Facebook, well no problem: But where are they putting it and how are they using it?” he noted.
About five tech giants, including Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft and Apple, hold the largest data in the world. However, Mr Baraban, argues individuals must take extra caution to protect their own data.
In 2016, the European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation, which became effective in May and deals with export of personal data both within and outside the EU.
Uganda, according to Uganda Communication Commission, has about 17.1 million internet users, who have subscribed to a number of platforms that collect their data.
Mr Baraban also revealed that Famocos was looking at expanding frontiers particularly in Uganda to leverage on the bourgeoning technological revolution across Africa.
Africa has in the last few years had some of the fastest digital revolutions which among others include mobile money and cryptocurrencies.
orld Food Programme with digital medical cards recording and warehouse voucher validation for several NGOs.