Smart for Whom? Africa’s Smart Cities and Digital Authoritarianism

The predicament of digital authoritarianism is particularly grievous for Africa because democratic institutions have been gradually eroded in several countries throughout the region. Illiberal regimes, in particular, exploit digital technologies to undermine such fragile democracies as Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. Moreover, surveillance technology is expanding throughout the region as national and local governments seek to increase their capacity to monitor and control their populations—a trend that has been aggravated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This article assesses the risks posed by smart cities to democratic institutions and processes by identifying the main models of smart city development and how they conceive of the state and citizens’ relationship, then assessing how smart cities can potentially foster and consolidate digital authoritarianism, with a particular focus on the technology that a regime can exploit to pursue illiberal goals. I provide cases to illustrate how smart city systems promote digital authoritarianism and conclude by discussing proposals to mitigate the technological risks and promote democratic smart cities.