FactSpace West Africa participated in the just-ended Data Protection Africa Summit 2025 in Accra, where the Executive Director, Rabiu Alhassan, delivered a presentation on the threat of weaponising sensitive data and online narratives in Ghana’s Upper East Region.
The annual summit, recognised as Africa’s largest gathering on data protection and privacy, attracts key stakeholders shaping the continent’s digital governance landscape.
Rabiu’s presentation titled: “Weaponizing Sensitive Data and Online Narratives in Conflict Areas in Ghana,” drew on insights from FactSpace West Africa’s investigative report on the Bawku conflict. He outlined how social media platforms have been used to intensify hate speech, spread harmful narratives, and exploit sensitive information to influence public sentiment.
The investigative report, which examined the digital footprints surrounding the conflict, revealed coordinated attempts by various actors to prove their superiority online.
According to him, these findings demonstrate the urgent need for stronger digital literacy, robust regulatory safeguards, and a coordinated response to emerging online threats.
This year’s summit was held under the theme “Defining Africa’s Digital Future: From Consumerism to Partnership,” reflecting a shift toward building shared responsibility among governments, private sector players, and civil society organisations.
The theme calls for deeper collaboration to ensure Africa moves beyond merely consuming digital technologies to actively shaping their governance.
The event brought together data controllers, processors, representatives from tech companies, policymakers, regulators, innovators, business communities, and individuals to deliberate on pressing issues affecting data protection and privacy on the continent. Participants explored trends in digital risks, emerging technologies, and the evolving regulatory environment.
Organisers say the core objective of the summit is to build capacity, facilitate collaboration, showcase expertise, and interrogate the challenges facing Africa’s data protection ecosystem.
You can watch Rabiu’s full presentation below:
Written By Samuel Nii Adjetey
