Research ICT Africa
Research ICT Africa is a Cape Town-based public-interest research organization that conducts evidence-based research on digital governance, ICT policy, and AI governance for African governments, civil society, and multilateral bodies including the African Union.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersCape Town, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Research ICT Africa does
Research ICT Africa (RIA) is a Cape Town-based public-interest research organization that conducts multidisciplinary research on digital governance, ICT policy and regulation, and AI governance across Africa. The organization serves African national governments, regulatory bodies, civil society organizations, multilateral institutions (including the African Union Commission and NEPAD), and UN-level policy processes by producing evidence-based research, frameworks, and recommendations on digital equality, data justice, and sustainable AI. Its primary deliverables are research outputs distributed freely under Creative Commons licensing, rather than commercial software or services.
RIA's core products are research frameworks and longitudinal datasets rather than software platforms. The Just AI Framework of Inquiry is a governance framework tailored to African contexts, organized across nine interconnected inquiries. The After Access Survey is a longitudinal household study of ICT access and usage in the Global South running since 2017, and the RAMP Index provides quarterly mobile pricing data across African countries since 2014. Complementary offerings include the Africa Just AI Lab, the Africa Just AI Conference, the School of Digital and Data Futures (a capacity-building program), and an Internet Measurements project tracking broadband quality of service.
RIA operates as a non-profit NGO funded through grants from institutional donors, including IDRC, GIZ, the European Union, FCDO, and the African Development Bank. It does not sell products or services commercially; outputs are open-access and revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization maintains active engagement with continental and global policy processes (African Union, UN Global Digital Compact, UN AI Advisory Body) and reports a team of 1–10 employees under executive leadership currently held by Pria Chetty, succeeding founder-era leader Alison Gillwald.
Research ICT Africa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Research ICT Africa
- Legal name
- Research ICT Africa
- Website
- https://researchictafrica.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Research ICT Africa is a Cape Town-based public-interest research organization that conducts evidence-based research on digital governance, ICT policy, and AI governance for African governments, civil society, and multilateral bodies including the African Union.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Research ICT Africa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Policy Research Services
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL), EdTech & Digital Learning Policy Research (EDADADAK)
Keywords
Where Research ICT Africa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cape Town
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Research ICT Africa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Institutional Research Funding: RIA operates as a public-interest research organization funded through grants and partnerships with international development agencies, governments, and multilateral organizations.
- Capacity Building and Training Services: The organization delivers training, education, and technical assistance to strengthen research and policy-making capabilities of institutions, governments, and civil society across Africa.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Research ICT Africa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Research ICT Africa conducts public-interest, evidence-based research on digital policy, ICT regulation, AI governance, and data justice across Africa. Its core deliverables are research frameworks (such as the Just AI Framework of Inquiry), longitudinal datasets and indices (After Access Survey, RAMP Index), and capacity-building programmes (School of Digital and Data Futures) that inform African policymakers, regulators, and civil society. Outputs are published openly and supplemented by advisory engagements with governments, the African Union, and multilateral bodies.
Product overview
Research ICT Africa (RIA) operates as a public-interest research organization rather than a software product company. Its core offerings consist of research frameworks, longitudinal studies, indices, and educational programmes focused on digital governance and AI policy in Africa. The Just AI Framework of Inquiry serves as the primary governance framework, supported by the After Access Survey (longitudinal ICT access study since 2017), the RAMP Index (mobile pricing database since 2014), and the School of Digital and Data Futures (capacity building programme). RIA also produces thematic research through programmes on AI and Advanced Tech Policy, Data Policy and Governance, Digital Economy and Indicators, Digital Public Infrastructure, and Capacity Building, along with conferences such as the annual Just AI Conference.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Research ICT Africa
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Research ICT Africa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Research ICT Africa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER)coreICRIER is a key partner in RIA's Digital Public Infrastructure work, particularly in the Community of Practice for DPI for Development (DPI4D).
- Lawyers HubminorKenyan legal technology organization partnering on digital rights and governance initiatives.
- NEPADcoreNEPAD (African Union's development agency) collaborates with RIA on continental digital policy initiatives.
- Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC)minorSouth African research center focused on analytics and behavioral change in digital contexts.
- Moxii AfricaminorOrganization (formerly Media Monitoring Africa) focused on transparent information that empowers all.
- IntakaminorCape Town-based organization partnering on various initiatives.
- European Partnership for Integration (EPD)minorEuropean organization partnering on digital inclusion initiatives.
- African Union CommissioncoreAUC is a key partner in developing the African Union Data Policy Framework and related capacity building initiatives.
- Centre for Internet and Society (India)minorCollaborated on the Africa Digital Policy Project and ten-country exploration of socio-digital ID systems.
- University of Cape Town (UCT) - Law at WorkminorAcademic partnership with UCT's Law at Work programme.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Research ICT Africa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DiploFoundation: DiploFoundation is a capacity-building organization focused on digital policy, internet governance, and diplomacy — closely comparable to RIA's School of Digital and Data Futures in its mandate to train policymakers and civil society in emerging digital governance topics.
- Access Now: Access Now is a global digital rights organization defending and extending the digital rights of users at risk — comparable to RIA in its focus on digital rights, data justice, and policy advocacy for equitable digital governance.
- Association for Progressive Communications (APC): APC is a global civil society network focused on digital rights, ICT policy, and equitable internet access in the Global South — comparable to RIA in its public-interest research model and policy advocacy, particularly on digital rights and inclusion.
- World Wide Web Foundation: The Web Foundation advances digital equity and the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), with a mission to make the web affordable and accessible globally — comparable to RIA's focus on digital inequality and affordability of mobile/internet access.
- LirneAsia: LirneAsia is a think tank conducting research on ICT policy and regulatory issues across emerging Asia, with a comparable model of demand-side data collection, policy advisory work, and public-interest research — making it the closest structural analogue to RIA outside Africa.
- Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA): CIPESA is an Africa-focused ICT policy research and advocacy organization operating in the same geographies as RIA, with overlapping work on internet rights, digital inclusion, and policy frameworks across African countries.
Broad incumbents
- GSMA Intelligence: GSMA Intelligence is the mobile industry's global research arm, producing authoritative data on mobile connectivity, pricing, and adoption — overlapping with RIA's RAMP Index work but at a global commercial scale serving industry rather than public-interest policy.
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU): ITU is the UN specialized agency for ICTs, producing global ICT indicators, policy frameworks, and capacity building — overlapping with RIA's work on digital policy and ICT access data but at a global intergovernmental scale.
- Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): Chatham House is a leading international affairs think tank producing policy research across global issues including digital and technology governance — a comparator in think tank scale and policy influence, though broader in scope than RIA's Africa-ICT focus.
- Internet Society (ISOC): ISOC is a global nonprofit promoting the open development, evolution, and use of the internet — operating in overlapping digital policy and inclusion spaces, with established presence in Africa through chapters and grants.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Research ICT Africa social profiles
Digital presenceResearch ICT Africa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Research ICT Africa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Research ICT Africa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Research ICT Africa M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Research ICT Africa
What does Research ICT Africa do?
Research ICT Africa conducts public-interest, evidence-based research on digital policy, ICT regulation, AI governance, and data justice across Africa. Its core deliverables are research frameworks (such as the Just AI Framework of Inquiry), longitudinal datasets and indices (After Access Survey, RAMP Index), and capacity-building programmes (School of Digital and Data Futures) that inform African policymakers, regulators, and civil society. Outputs are published openly and supplemented by advisory engagements with governments, the African Union, and multilateral bodies.
Is Research ICT Africa a public or private company?
Research ICT Africa is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Research ICT Africa founded?
Research ICT Africa was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Research ICT Africa based?
Research ICT Africa is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Research ICT Africa make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Institutional Research Funding is the primary driver. The others are capacity Building and Training Services.
Who are Research ICT Africa's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DiploFoundation, Access Now, Association for Progressive Communications (APC), World Wide Web Foundation, LirneAsia and Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA). Broad incumbents are GSMA Intelligence, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs) and Internet Society (ISOC).
Does Research ICT Africa have an API?
No public API is recorded for Research ICT Africa.
What industry is Research ICT Africa in?
Research ICT Africa's product category is Policy Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHALAF, Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research, with a secondary code of BPADAEAL, Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance. Its NAICS code is 54172 and its SIC code is 8742.