• Burundi validated its first National Data Governance Strategy (SNGD) to regulate data collection, management, sharing and valorisation.
• The strategy includes seven structural pillars, from legal frameworks and infrastructure to personal data protection and innovation.
• The plan aligns with Burundi’s Vision 2040–2060 and follows its 2023 adoption of the IMF’s Enhanced General Data Dissemination System.

Burundi moved to strengthen control over its data ecosystem at a time when data increasingly drives public policy and economic decision-making. The government aims to guarantee the security and valorisation of national data assets.

The country officially validated its first National Data Governance Strategy (SNGD) last week. The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) co-led the document through its Data Governance in Africa initiative. The strategy seeks to regulate the collection, management, sharing and valorisation of data generated by the state, businesses and citizens.

The strategy rests on seven structural pillars: governance and leadership; legal and regulatory frameworks; data management, access and interoperability; infrastructure and sharing; security and personal data protection; capacity-building and data culture; and the data economy and innovation.

The government committed to developing a legal framework aligned with international standards, modernising digital infrastructures, promoting local skills and treating data as a public good.
 Authorities involved more than 60 national institutions from public, private, academic and civil society sectors in the strategy’s design.

The validation of the SNGD aligns with Burundi’s Vision 2040–2060 and with the African Union’s continental data policy.
After adopting the IMF’s Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (EGDDS) in 2023, Burundi reaffirmed its ambition to modernise its information systems and increase the reliability of public statistics.

Officials expect the implementation of the SNGD to make public administration more efficient, improve transparency, and enhance the quality of public policies.
The strategy aims to stimulate digital innovation and job creation in the data sector and to build a sovereign and inclusive data governance model capable of attracting investment and reinforcing Burundi’s digital resilience.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum