Today marks the last day of October 2025, a month that has seen us contribute towards strengthening the digital rights and inclusion ecosystem in countries across the globe. From London to Juba, we have joined and contributed to important conversations, shaped narratives and influenced law and policy development. We met stakeholders in philanthropy, tech, investments, foundations, lawmakers and civil society actors. This goes to show the power of collaboration in transforming our society into one that is digitally inclusive and rights-respecting.
Allow us to share with you our contribution to this noble cause.
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Key Highlights
• Calling on the government of Tanzania to uphold digital rights
• PIN condemns the Cameroon government’s tampering with the internet
• Paradigm Initiative lauds The Gambia’s Parliament for passing the Personal Data Protection.
• On a roll! Whispers in the Wires wins again!
• Curtains drawn on the ICT Teachers Workshop.
• PIN Joins Ministry of Justice to Commemorate CyberAwareness Week in Nigeria
• Furthering Digital Rights in Africa’s newest Nation
Paradigm Initiative lauds The Gambia’s Parliament for passing Personal Data Protection Law
On 3rd October 2025, Paradigm Initiative commended The Gambia’s Parliament for passing the Personal Data Protection and Privacy Bill, a significant step towards safeguarding citizens’ digital rights.
The bill now awaits the president’s assent, the final step before it becomes law. Paradigm Initiative urges swift approval to ensure timely personal data protection and uphold privacy rights.
This milestone follows months of advocacy, including a Digital Policy Engagement Series (DiPES) and training workshops for law enforcement officers, aimed at building awareness and capacity for effective implementation.
With this legislation, The Gambia positions itself as a leader in digital rights and governance in Africa, aligning with global best practices in data protection and privacy. Read more here
The Paradigm Initiative Story: A Work in Progress
After much anticipation, The Paradigm Initiative Story: A Work in Progress is officially out! From a humble cybercafé in Lagos to a leading force in digital rights across Africa, Executive Director ‘Gbenga Sesan takes you behind the scenes of building a nonprofit organisation that is changing lives — full of grit, growth, and big wins.
Endorsed by tech legends like Google’s Vint Cerf, this book is a must-read for anyone passionate about digital inclusion and social impact. It is available now in eBook and in hardback on Amazon, with the paperback coming in July 2026.
On a roll! Whispers in the Wires wins again!
Whispers in the Wires has been named the Best Human Rights Short Film in the Berlin Shorts Award. This win is yet another endorsement of the storyline and high-level production, coming soon after being feted at the Summit Creative Awards in the USA, where it secured a Gold award in the Advocacy and Social Impact Category
Calling on the government of Tanzania to uphold digital rights
The Net Rights Coalition wrote an Open Letter to the Government of Tanzania on October 28, urging it to uphold digital rights during the upcoming elections. The letter addressed to the Minister of Communications and Information Technology was signed by 12 members of the coalition, including PIN. Nevertheless, network data from NetBlocks, an independent, nongovernmental organisation that monitors, reports, and analyses internet disruptions, censorship, and cybersecurity incidents worldwide, shows nationwide disruption to internet connectivity in the country, corroborating reports of a digital blackout. Read the full letter on our website. At the same time, PIN together with 38 other organisations also endorsed an Open Letter to the President of Tanzania, Dr. Samia Suluhu, appealing to her to publicly commit to ensuring the people of Tanzania have access to the internet, digital platforms and all communication channels throughout the election period. You can read the full letter here.
PIN condemns the Cameroon government’s tampering with the internet
Paradigm Initiative strongly condemned the on-going Internet access restrictions in Cameroon in a volatile election environment marked by protests.
Since 23rd October 2025, Internet disruptions have been a common experience in Cameroon, interfering with freedom of expression and access to information online ahead of the announcement of presidential election results following the 12th October 2025 elections. Read the full statement here. Paul Biya has since been declared President, giving him yet another term to rule the country.
Events
Curtains drawn on the ICT Teachers Workshop
On 7th and 8th October, Paradigm Initiative trained teachers in Anglophone West Africa on the adoption and usage of ICT in their teaching practices. Through the two-day virtual workshop, educators were equipped with practical digital tools and strategies to enhance lesson delivery and promote inclusive, learner-centred teaching. This workshop was the final of three workshops (the first in East Africa and another for Francophone West Africa), building the digital capacity of teachers and empowering youth through education.
PIN Joins Ministry of Justice to Commemorate CyberAwareness Week in Nigeria
On 13th October, Paradigm Initiative joined the 2025 Cybercrimes Awareness Campaign, themed “Towards a Coordinated and Informed National Response to Cybercrime.” The campaign was organised by the Federal Ministry of Justice, in partnership with the Senate Committee on ICT & Cybersecurity and the Office of the National Security
Adviser, alongside Paradigm Initiative, other national and development partners. Khadijah El-Usman, our Senior Officer Programmes for Anglophone West Africa, delivered a goodwill message during the Opening Ceremony, reaffirming PIN’s commitment to promoting rights-respecting digital governance and law enforcement collaboration.
She also participated as a panellist in the highlevel discussion titled “Emerging Technologies and the Triple Threat of Sextortion, Ransomware, and Money Laundering.” She leveraged the panel to bring attention to PIN’s Tools of Impact, such as Ripoti and Ayeta, while emphasising the need for legal reform and ongoing collaboration between civil society and law enforcement to ensure a human rights–based approach to cybersecurity.
PIN Concludes DRIMP cohort with Walter Sisulu University
On 9th October, Paradigm Initiative wrapped up the Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Programme (DRIMP) in collaboration with Walter Sisulu University in South Africa. Over the past few months, DRIMP has exposed relevant programme fellows to digital rights and inclusion, enhancing their ability to report and respond to potential violations in the digital rights landscape and equipping universities with enhanced journalism education.
The closing ceremony was a vibrant celebration of the fellows’ hard work and dedication, showcasing their remarkable achievements throughout the programme. It was rounded up beautifully with the presentation of certificates.
PIN collaborates with Pan Atlantic University on Data Protection, Surveillance and Privacy for media students
On 14 October 2025, Paradigm Initiative facilitated a session on Data Protection, Surveillance, and Privacy for media students at Pan Atlantic University. The session helped students understand their role in educating communities, amplifying the voices of communities whose rights are violated, protecting digital rights, and ensuring accountability.
Furthering Digital Rights in Africa’s newest Nation
From October 14 to 15, Paradigm Initiative partnered with Koneta Hub to host a policy dialogue in Juba, South Sudan, focusing on strengthening the country’s draft Data Protection Bill. The event brought together lawmakers, civil society, the private sector, regulators and experts to push for rights-based digital policy. This dialogue marks a critical step toward safeguarding citizens’ privacy and strengthening digital governance as it aims to increase awareness and commitment to advancing rights-based data protection legislation in South Sudan, as the country continues its digital transformation. Read more here.
Taking Lead in AI Governance, GNI Board Meeting and CELE Conference
Last week, from 21st to 24th October, 2025, Thobekile Matimbe, Paradigm Initiative’s Senior Manager, Partnerships and Engagements, attended a Global Network Initiative (GNI) Board Meeting and CELE Conference in Argentina, where she joined a panel to discuss the upcoming India Artificial Intelligence (AI) Impact Summit and key priorities of the Global South. She articulated the AI governance steps that have been taken in Africa. Thobekile also represented PIN in Dublin, Ireland from 26th to 29th October, 2025 at the ICANN84
General Meeting where she attended several engagements supported by the Global Partners Digital (GPD) and Global Network Initiative, where she spoke about PIN’s research on Zambia’s WSIS+20 priorities in the session on Safeguarding Multistakeholder Internet Governance: Building Alliances in WSIS+20 coorganised by GPD and the GNI, which brought together representatives from across the ICANN community to explore shared priorities in the WSIS+20 review. She also attended a session on Bridging Perspectives from the Technical Community and Civil Society hosted by the ICANN Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group (NCSG), GPD and GNI, among others, reflecting on the WSIS+20 Zero Draft and how to ensure the draft reflects particularisation of digital inclusion as a key WSIS priority.
Analysing Zambia’s National AI Strategy and Cyber Laws
Paradigm Initiative joined hands with Thomson Reuters Foundation/TrustLaw and the Alliance for Accountability Advocates to host a Webinar under the theme, “Navigating Zambia’s Digital Future: A Human Rights Analysis of the National AI Strategy and Cyber Laws.” PIN was represented at the session by Chiti Mutati, Programmes Officer, Southern Africa and Miriam Beatrice Wanjiru, Programmes Officer, East Africa. The session was instrumental in exploring how Zambia’s digital transformation intersects with human rights, freedom of expression and responsible AI adoption.
PIN advocates for Children’s safety Online
On the 27th of October, Paradigm Initiative’s Senior Programmes Officer for Anglophone West Africa had the privilege of delivering the opening remarks and moderating a fireside
chat with Hon. Osoba Olumide at the Child Online Safety Forum, held in collaboration with Gatefield and the Online Safety Coalition, a timely and urgent conversation on how we can better protect Nigeria’s children in the digital age.
As more children grow up online, so do the risks: cyberbullying, grooming, sexual exploitation, and exposure to harmful algorithmic content. Despite the Child Rights Act (2003) and the ongoing Child Online Access Protection Bill (2023), gaps in coordination and enforcement still leave too many young Nigerians vulnerable.
The Forum brought together lawmakers, regulators, civil society, media, and the private sector to turn concern into commitment — with one clear goal: to make Nigeria a continental leader in child online protection. sector to turn concern into commitment — with one clear goal: to make Nigeria a continental leader in child online protection.intersects with human rights, freedom of expression and responsible AI adoption.
Whispers in the Wires showcased at the Africa
Films For Impact Festival
Our 5th award-winning short film, “Whispers in the Wires,” was showcased at the Africa Films For Impact Festival (AFFIF) 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria, receiving numerous positive reviews.
The short film starring leading Nigerian actress Tina Mba, who plays the role of Mama Bibi, is inspired by our 2023 Londa Report. The movie follows the story of a retired nurse who accidentally finds herself at the heart of a grassroots movement confronting and fighting misinformation. Watch the English and French versions on our YouTube channel.
Thought Leadership
AI and Digital Transformation in Government
We are excited to share that a new online course developed from a report that ‘Gbenga Sesan contributed to is launching soon! The course, spearheaded by UNESCO and the University of Oxford, will be unveiled to the public on November 10th, in English and Spanish, with other language versions to follow soon. The free learning resource is designed to strengthen public sector capacities in understanding and leveraging AI, and also aid development practitioners in navigating the opportunities and challenges of digital transformation. Feel free to register or learn more about the course here
At the forefront of conversations on AI governance in the electoral context within Africa
As a testament to our commitment to being at the forefront of conversations on AI governance in the electoral context within Africa, Paradigm Initiative was well represented at the “Mastering AI for Electoral Actors” event, held from September 30 to October 1, 2025, in Dakar, Senegal. Implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) and the Senegal Directorate General of Elections (DGE), with the support of Microsoft and OpenAI.
At the event, Moussa Waly Sene, PIN’s Programmes Officer for Francophone Africa, participated in a high-level panel featuring Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) from across Africa, where he shared insights from the organisation’s interventions in elections through our project, DREAM (Digital Rights and Elections in Africa Monitor).
Platforms must recognise and support non-traditional content creators
On the 1st of October, Miriam Beatrice Wanjiru, our Programmes Officer for East Africa, spoke on a panel titled “Data, Dignity and Digital
Rights – Access to Information in the Age of Disinformation,” at the 2025 Africa Facts Summit in Dakar, Senegal, which convened journalists, fact-checkers, civil society leaders, and digital governance experts.
At the event, which also commemorated International Day for Universal Access to Information, Miriam underscored that access to information, platform accountability, and digital agency are vital for defending truth, citing examples of how influencers and community media shape modern civic discourse. With ACHPR Resolutions 620–631 setting the framework, Africa must swiftly remove roadblocks to turn them into action.
PIN at CJID’s Openness Index Capacity Building and Stakeholder Engagement
On 2nd October, our Senior IT Officer, Angela Onyegbuna, facilitated a session titled “Digital Security for Journalists and CSOs.” The session, which came as a direct response from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) to the increasing digital threats experienced in recent times, was aimed at helping participants understand their role in building resilience for a free press and a vibrant civic space, as well as exploring how they can challenge traditional models and find innovative solutions to protect and advance their work.
Shaping the future with science and society at the Tsukuba Conference
Represented by our Partnerships and Engagements Officer, Bridgette Ndlovu, Paradigm Initiative participated in the Tsukuba Conference, held from October 1 to 3, 2025. At the conference, Bridgette shared pressing challenges in the digital world, highlighting the digital divide and surveillance as issues that need immediate attention. She highlighted how PIN’s Digital Rights and Inclusion Media Programme (DRIMP) contributes to research on key policy issues, identifying emerging threats. The conference ended with a Tsukuba declaration, which, among other articles, declared that “the benefits of emerging technologies, including AI, should be shared equitably with all people, especially those in the Global South.” The Declaration committed “to ethical and inclusive innovation and creating a future grounded in mutual respect and care for the planet.”
‘Gbenga
speaks on funding challenges for civic organisations promoting digital rights.
On October 9th, Paradigm Initiative’s Executive Director, ‘Gbenga Sesan, joined The Asia Foundation’s conversation on information disorder and integrity in Asia. Together with other stakeholders, they discussed funding challenges for civic organisations promoting digital rights, information integrity, and platform accountability in the changing geopolitical landscape.
This intervention is timely, as it occurs at a moment when civic space across the Global South is shrinking and facing new challenges.
Role of Advocacy in Promoting Data Protection
On Tuesday, October 14th, Paradigm Initiative was ably represented by Khadijah El-Usman at the Legal Basis Project, spearheaded by Tech Hive Advisory with support from Meta. The project was launched to enhance Nigerians’ understanding of the digital economy, particularly in relation to lawful data use, privacy, and protection. Speaking on a panel at the event, she discussed the role of advocacy in promoting data protection, stressing that regulators and policymakers must communicate the value and principles of data protection in clear, relatable terms for diverse audiences, including small businesses and everyday internet users.
‘Gbenga Sesan Speaks on PIN’s Vision in London
‘Gbenga Sesan, on the 22nd of October, joined other senior representatives from leading global philanthropy organisations, development organisations, tech and innovation institutions, and investment institutions in a session hosted in Westminster, London, at the Trust Conference by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, titled ‘Local Knowledge: Catalysing Better Futures for Public Interest Technology.’
At the event, he spoke about Paradigm Initiative’s work, the funding challenges faced by non-profits in the Global South, his vision
for Public Interest Technology over the next decade, and a new model of multi-year/core support funding required for work and talent retention in the non-profit sector.
PIN at Kano Social Influencer Summit (KANSIS) 2025
Ihueze Nwobilor, Paradigm Initiative’s Senior Officer, Programmes, represented the organisation at the Kano Social Influencers Summit (KANSIS) 2025, from October 22nd to 23rd, 2025, where he made a summary presentation of the Nigeria country report of the Paradigm Initiative’s 2024 Londa report (The organisation’s annual report on the state of digital rights and inclusion in Africa). In another session, he hosted the screening of our latest short film, Whispers in the Wire, to an audience of over 3000 participants at the event and had an interactive session to gather their opinions and learnings from the short film.
Building Resilience and Scaling Social Impact in the Global South
On October 29, ‘Gbenga Sesan was at the Bread & Net 2025 event held at the ESA Business School in Beirut, Lebanon, where he spoke at his session on ‘Building Resilience
and Scaling Social Impact in the Global South.’ At the event, he also unveiled the PIN Book, which chronicles Paradigm Initiative’s journey from an informal settlement in Nigeria to a leading pan-African digital rights and inclusion organisation. Beyond a historical account, the book extracts lessons for scaling social enterprises in resource-constrained environments. The session will explore the pivotal role of partnerships, oversight and accountability underpinning PIN’s growth. Read more about it here.
Partner spotlight: Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation celebrates 65 years in West Africa
This year marks a major milestone in the history of Ford Foundation’s operations in West Africa. The West Africa Office, based in Lagos, Nigeria, is celebrating 65 years of advancing social justice. The Foundation has played a major role in the delivery of social justice by supporting programmes that reduce poverty and injustice, strengthen democratic values, promote international cooperation and advance human achievement. Through the organisation’s contributions, there has been a remarkable transformation in the lives of individuals, organisations/institutions, and society at large.
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Support the drive for a more inclusive, safe digital space
Paradigm Initiative has been a driving force for positive change in African communities since 2007. With our roots in Nigeria and operations across Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, Zimbabwe and beyond, we have impacted the livelihoods of more than 150,000 under-served young Africans through digital opportunities and protection of their rights online. Our vision towards a rightsrespecting world is resolute, and so is our focus on influencing policies in digital rights and inclusion while advocating for a free and affordable Internet. Visit our website to learn how you can support us.
