Let’s Work Together
Let’s Work Together

Digital Public Infrastructure for African Cities

Building trusted, locally-owned systems that power better services and opportunity.

Delivering on Africa’s DPI Priorities

The African DPI Facility turns continental ambitions into action by grounding DPI in local context, governance, and usage.

  • National DPI Strategies
  • Reference Architecture: Privacy & Interoperability by Design
  • Embedded, Clear Governance
  • Locally-Led Implementation and Capacity
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Across Africa, reliable public services depend on three foundations: digital ID, secure payments, and data exchange. These are the invisible systems that let people prove who they are, pay for services safely, and share information across departments or borders. When they are fragmented or imported without context, cities struggle to deliver.

Open Cities Lab bridges the gap between high-level policy and on-the-ground delivery. We help municipalities, partners, and communities turn these foundational systems into real improvements – fairer water tariffs, faster building approvals, more transparent local democracy – always with local ownership and inclusive design at the centre.
 We’re growing a continent-wide Implementation Network to share knowledge, test ideas, and bring DPI to life. By Africa, for Africa. The Network serves as a trusted go-to network for funders and governments looking for reliable partners to deliver Digital Public Infrastructure projects. By linking skilled implementers with those seeking impact, the Implementation Network helps turn big ideas, like digital ID, secure payments, and data exchange, into working systems that improve daily life across African cities.
Digital Public Infrastructure DPI

Explore Our DPI Work

Want to see the details behind this vision? Download and view our slide decks below to learn more:

Implementation Network Deck (PDF) – How the network connects African implementers to deliver DPI solutions across cities and regions.

Digital Public Infrastructure Overview (PDF) – Our strategy for African-led DPI and its role in improving public services and economic opportunity.

Proof on the Ground

We believe credibility comes from what you build, not just what you promise. Over the past decade, Open Cities Lab has shown through real, working systems that African governments can deliver better services with the right digital foundations.

In South Africa, we’re currently working with national partners on early Digital Public Infrastructure use cases:

MzansiXchange – Piloting a secure data exchange to help government share and use information responsibly.
MyMzansi – Co-creating a platform to connect residents with services and local information.

Building on this momentum, we are in active conversations with funders to expand these efforts regionally and help shape the next generation of African DPI initiatives. Join us?

Contact michelle@opencitieslab.org to find out more.

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