RECRUITING A CONSULTING FIRM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL DATA VALUE CREATION BLUEPRINTS IN SENEGAL AND KENYA.

SMART AFRICA TENDER NOVEMBER 2025 

RECRUITING A CONSULTING FIRM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL DATA VALUE CREATION BLUEPRINTS IN SENEGAL AND KENYA.

INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL BACKGROUND

The Smart Africa Alliance is a bold and innovative commitment by African Heads of State and Government aimed at accelerating the continent’s sustainable socio-economic development, with the ambition of transforming Africa into a Single Digital Market by 2030.

The Smart Africa Manifesto is built on five key pillars:

1. a)Placing ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) at the center of national socio-economic development agendas.
2. b)Improving access to ICT, particularly broadband connectivity.
3. c)Enhancing transparency, efficiency, and accountability through ICT.
4. d)Prioritizing the private sector.
5. e)Leveraging ICT for sustainable development.

As of June 2025, the Smart Africa Alliance comprises 40 member states, along with several international partner organizations, including the African Union Commission (AUC), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and private sector partners from across the globe. The Smart Africa Secretariat (SAS) is headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda.

Project background

Data governance has become a central issue in digital transformation strategies globally. The potential of data as a driver of economic development, improved public policy, enhanced transparency, and technological innovation is now universally recognized from Silicon Valley to the most remote villages in Africa. Within this context, the issue of data value creation i.e., transforming data into economic, social, or environmental value has become a key strategic priority.

It is within this strategic framework that the “Data Governance in Africa initiative” was launched as a joint effort by the African Union and the European Union aimed at facilitating the implementation and domestication of the African Union Continental Data Policy Framework. One of its flagship projects, “Creating an African-Owned Data Governance Model,” is funded by GIZ and implemented by Smart Africa under the umbrella of the EU-AU Data Flagship program.

This project aims to support:

SO1: The development of public policy instruments on data and the strengthening of the enforcement capacities of African Data Protection Authorities.

SO2: The creation of national socio-economic development blueprints based on the value creation potential of data.

SO3: The design of an innovative financing model for the digital economy.

As part of SO2, Smart Africa will support Senegal and Kenya in developing national roadmaps or strategic frameworks that serve as guides for data value creation. A specialized consulting firm will be recruited to lead this process, which will be based on:

• The guiding principles of the African Union Data Policy Framework.
• The recommendations of the Smart Africa Data Governance Blueprint.
• National priorities outlined in each country’s socio-economic development plans.
• The identification and involvement of key national stakeholders, with a clear definition of their roles in the data governance value chain.
• The development of a five-year implementation plan for the data value creation roadmap, along with a monitoring and evaluation framework.
• Context of digital governance in the two countries

Kenya’s digital landscape

Kenya is positioning itself as a true leader in Africa’s digital economy, with a favorable political, regulatory, and technological environment for data value creation. It was among the first African countries to adopt a structured vision for digital transformation through the launch of its Digital Economy Blueprint (2019), which outlines five pillars for an inclusive digital economy: digital infrastructure, digital services, digital entrepreneurship, digital skills, and data governance.

Legally, Kenya adopted the Data Protection Act in 2019, establishing the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and creating a robust data protection framework aligned with international standards such as the GDPR. The Act’s implementation is supported by technical regulations (Data Protection Regulations, 2021) covering data security, cross-border data transfers, and children’s data protection.

In terms of innovation, Kenya has finalized its National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2025–2030), promoting ethical and inclusive use of AI in health, agriculture, public services, and governance. This complements the National Digital Master Plan (2022–2032), a ten-year roadmap for investments in e-government, connectivity, digital education, and critical infrastructure.

Kenya’s vibrant tech ecosystem, often referred to as “Silicon Savannah,” is centered in Nairobi one of Africa’s top tech hubs home to prominent incubators such as iHub, Nailab, and the Kenya Innovation Agency (KENIA). According to StartupBlink (2023), Kenya ranks third in Africa for startup ecosystem strength, after Nigeria and South Africa.

The country also boasts growing internet connectivity, with an internet penetration rate estimated at 42% in 2024 , and a particularly strong fintech sector led by M-Pesa, which serves over 30 million users.

In this context, Kenya’s national data value creation blueprint will:

• Fully leverage the existing legal and technological landscape.
• Structure high-impact use cases in priority sectors (health, agriculture, environment, education, public services).
• Support data driven decisions in select use cases.
• Build the capacity of public and private institutions to use data responsibly and innovatively.
• Align national initiatives with continental frameworks, notably the AU Data Policy Framework and the Smart Africa Data Governance Blueprint.

Senegal’s digital landscape

Senegal, guided by its long-term development vision outlined in the National Transformation Agenda 2050 and its new digital strategy, the ‘New Deal Technologique,’ is establishing itself as a key player in West Africa’s digital transformation. The country recently adopted two foundational instruments to structure its data ecosystem: the National Data Strategy (SND) and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (SNIA). These documents form the pillars of a clear ambition: to leverage data for sustainable development, innovation, and performance in priority sectors.

Senegal has a solid legal framework for data protection, with the Commission for the Protection of Personal Data (CDP) an independent authority safeguarding digital rights since 2008. Senegal was one of the first African countries to pass a dedicated personal data protection law (Law No. 2008-12), aligned with international standards such as the European GDPR.

In terms of digital infrastructure, Senegal continues to make significant progress. As of January 2024, 75.6% of the population was connected to the internet, representing approximately 12.8 million users . The country is also investing in smart cities, public service digitization (e.g., the “SenGouv” platform), open data, and a vibrant tech entrepreneurship ecosystem. Notable initiatives include Dakar Digital City, the DER/FJ incubator, and the AI Excellence Center at the Virtual University of Senegal (UVS).

The national data value creation blueprint will serve to operationalize the ambitions of the SND and SNIA by structuring data use to:

• Improve the performance of public policies.
• Strengthen evidence-based decision-making.
• Support data-driven startups.
• Generate innovative services in agriculture, health, education, finance, and public administration.

This strategic tool will also reinforce Senegal’s digital sovereignty while aligning the country with continental frameworks such as the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy (2020–2030) and the AU Data Policy Framework

MISSION OBJECTIVES

Main objective

The primary objective of this assignment is to develop national data value creation blueprints for Senegal and Kenya. These blueprints should be aligned with national development priorities as well as continental and international standards.

Specific objectives

The specific objectives are as follows:

1. a)Conduct an in-depth diagnostic of the data ecosystem in each country (including infrastructure, regulations, stakeholders, data usage, etc.).
2. b)Identify high-impact priority use cases for value creation (in economic sectors, public services, etc.) in alignment with national development plans.
3. c)Propose concrete strategic directions and pilot projects for each country.
4. d)Define an operational plan, a multi-stakeholder governance framework, and a monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

Expected deliverables
The following deliverables are expected at the end of the assignment:

1. One inception report per country.
2. A comprehensive diagnostic of the national data ecosystem.
3. Two (02) national data value creation blueprints (one per country).
4. Two (02) operational implementations plan.
5. Two (02) monitoring and evaluation frameworks including performance indicators, timelines, and accountability plans.
6. Two (02) validation workshop reports.
7. Two (02) executive summaries and communication materials in both French and English.
8. A comprehensive change management plan, incorporating a multi-stakeholder coordination mechanism (one per country).
9. One (01) final mission report.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR TECHNICAL & FINANCIAL PROPOSALS

1. a)A specific outline must be followed to facilitate the Smart Africa Secretariat’s review and evaluation of the responses received.
2. b)A response to this RFP must include the following sections in the order listed:
3. c)A cover letter confirming the firm’s interest to provide the services required
4. d)Mandatory Administrative documents
5. e)Company registration certificate
6. f)Tax clearance certificates

A technical proposal containing the following content:

• Executive summary
• Business experience/Profiles
• Understanding of the Term of Reference, risk assessment, and suggestions for improvement

SUBMISSION PROCESS

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