US EditionReport: Africa Spends $2B on Chinese Surveillance Tech
- On June 10, 2025, the African Digital Rights Network reported that 11 African nations spent at least US$2 billion on Chinese-supplied AI surveillance systems, including facial recognition and control centers.
- Chinese officials began promoting the 'Digital Silk Road' initiative in 2015 across the Global South as an adjunct to the Belt and Road Initiative , setting the stage for later surveillance deployments.
- Nigeria leads as the largest consumer, spending over US$470 million on surveillance technology, followed by Mauritius at US$456 million and Kenya at US$219 million on systems supplied by firms including Huawei Technologies and ZTE.
- Surveillance systems operate without adequate legal regulation or oversight, researchers warned, leaving journalists and political opposition vulnerable to state tracking and inhibiting peaceful protest rights.
- China integrated these surveillance systems into its Global Security Initiative to advance geostrategic interests, prompting researchers to call for international transparency, oversight, and human rights benchmarks.
19 Articles
19 Articles
China Gains Africa Influence With No-Strings Surveillance Tech
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Growing interest in the two sessions confirms the world’s desire for stability, sound governance: Global Times editorial
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China spurs Africa's leap in AI technology
At a converted warehouse on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, a dozen young programmers gather around used laptops to develop an application. The artificial intelligence model they are using is trained to spot crop disease from a single smartphone photo. Interestingly, their small business is increasingly tied to China.
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