AfricTivistes CitizenLab

AfricTivistes CitizenLab is a pan-African citizen-led innovation lab launched in 2022. It transforms civil society actors into digital change agents capable of designing and deploying technological solutions to strengthen citizen participation. Progressively rolled out in seven countries—Mauritania, Benin, Madagascar, Chad, Cameroon, Guinea, and Senegal—it is based on a network of interconnected national labs with a long-term continental vision.

CONTEXT

Faced with democratic backsliding, disinformation and the marginalization of young people in governance processes in Africa, CitizenLab responds to a strong demand from young people and civil society organizations for concrete tools and approaches that promote civic engagement and bridge the gap between civil society and public administration.

APPROACH

The program rests on three complementary pillars: capacity building (marathons of theoretical and practical training), civic tech and co-creation (development of digital tools adapted to local contexts), and the innovation hub (production of valuable content and digital advocacy). The CitizenLabs in Senegal and Guinea play a tech role by designing solutions for the entire network, while the other five (Mauritania, Benin, Chad, Cameroon, and Madagascar) focus on content production, capacity building, and digital advocacy.