The Regional Academic Network on IT Policy (RANITP)

Since January 2017, Research ICT Africa has been hosting the Regional Academic Network on IT Policy (RANITP) a network of African academics and researchers from the Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law at Strathmore University. RANITP aims to promote high-level multidisciplinary research on IT policy across the continent.

In 2019 RANITP focused on researching evidence based Artificial Intelligence across the African continent. RANITP’s research on AI focuses on the thematic areas of AI and gender, AI and digital ID, AI ethics, and AI and data protection.

RANITP is composed of a network of fellows from Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa and Zimbabwe and is supported by Microsoft.

Grace Mutung’u, RANITP Fellow

Focus: Digital ID, biometrics and AI

Datafication in Africa: the risks of Digital ID in SA and Kenya

Arthur Gwagwa, RANITP Fellow

Focus: AI and Ethics

Policy Brief – Recommendations on the inclusion of sub-Saharan Africa in global AI ethics

Raymond Onuoha, RANITP Fellow

Focus: AI, data protection and privacy policy harmonisation

Policy Brief – AI in Africa: regional data protection and privacy policy

Sarah Kiden, RANITP Fellow

Focus: AI and gender

Policy Brief – Gender and Artificial Intelligence Readiness in Africa: Can new technological innovations address an unequal playing field?

Alex Comninos, Researcher and RANITP Coordinator

Focus: Artificial Intelligence, AI Readiness, emerging technology