Rapid Rise of Smart City Surveillance Tech Across Africa to Spy on Citizens

Concept digital technology image with CCTV camera surveillance. Credit: ART STOCK CREATIVE / shutterstock.com Source: Institute of Development Studies, UK

By The Institute of Development Studies
BRIGHTON, UK, Mar 17 2026 (IPS)

A massive expansion of AI-enabled surveillance of public spaces across Africa is violating citizens’ freedoms and the fundamental human right to privacy, warns a new report by the Institute of Development Studies.

African governments are paying...