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VOL. 8, ISSUE 4 (2026)
The transfer of digital governance policies from developed to developing countries: Lessons from Africa
Authors
Babilla Bryane
Abstract
This article examines the transfer of digital governance policies from
developed nations to African countries, analysing the mechanisms, challenges,
and outcomes of this complex policy diffusion process. Drawing on empirical
evidence from Nigeria, Kenya, The Gambia, Somalia, Mozambique, and Sierra
Leone, the analysis demonstrates that policy transfers often fail due to
"design-reality inconsistencies" between imported frameworks and
local contexts, infrastructure constraints, and the political economy of governance
reform. The article argues that successful digital governance requires
domestication rather than replication, with The Gambia's domestication of the
African Union Data Policy Framework offering a promising model of
contextualised, participatory policy development. It concludes that donors and
policymakers must move beyond coercive transfer modalities toward genuine
partnerships that respect African agency and local realities.
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Pages:29-33
How to cite this article:
Babilla Bryane "The transfer of digital governance policies from developed to developing countries: Lessons from Africa". International Journal of Law, Policy and Social Review, Vol 8, Issue 4, 2026, Pages 29-33
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