On 5 November, Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris signed a decree establishing three key national agencies overseen by the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Communications.
These new bodies include the Digital Transformation Authority, the Sudan Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, and the Sudan Cybersecurity Authority. The move forms part of a broader reform effort aimed at modernising the nation’s governance framework and enhancing the efficiency of public services.
The Sudanese government intends for these agencies to serve as the foundational pillars of a unified digital system, backed by policies designed to increase transparency, improve administrative governance, and assert digital sovereignty. The overarching goal is to develop an institutional structure capable of regulating digital public services, managing data effectively, and ensuring cybersecurity resilience.
However, the initiative faces significant hurdles given Sudan’s ongoing political tensions, persistent armed conflicts, and limited financial resources. The country continues to grapple with inadequate infrastructure and a shortage of specialised skills necessary for large-scale digital transformation. The creation of these new authorities also raises concerns regarding institutional coordination and maintaining administrative continuity within a government already under considerable strain.
Data from 2024 highlights Sudan’s digital development challenges, with the country scoring just 0.2759 out of 1 on the United Nations’ Global E-Government Index, well below the African average of 0.4247. Its cybersecurity tier classification stands at Tier 4, with a score of 48.17 out of 100, while its Artificial Intelligence Readiness Index score was 24.63 out of 100, compared to an average of 32.70 for sub-Saharan Africa. Despite these obstacles, Sudan’s efforts to establish a more structured digital governance framework aim to fortify system security, protect public data, and streamline administrative processes. Whether these ambitions can be realised amid ongoing instability remains uncertain.
