In today’s digital age, data serves as a crucial national asset, holding the power to shape policies, drive innovation, and improve citizen services. The value in data sharing between government institutions lies in the ability to use the data for meaningful insights that benefit the national interest.

However, our experience in Rwanda suggests that the enactment of the Data Protection and Privacy Law N°058/2021 (the DPP) has raised concerns among holders of public data about when and how they can share specific data. To address these concerns, Cenfri, under the Rwanda Economy Digitalisation Programme, has developed a draft data-sharing policy for the Government of Rwanda.

This policy aims to establish guidelines for sharing data among government agencies, focusing on ensuring that there is proper oversight, clear guidance, good governance, and advanced technology to manage data sharing effectively. The intention is for such a policy to provide clear rules that will give public decision-makers confidence to share data.

Across the globe, countries like Singapore, Australia, and the United States have recognised the importance of data sharing and have institutionalised frameworks to facilitate this exchange. By breaking down silos and fostering collaboration among various governmental bodies, these countries have realised tangible improvements in service delivery and policy effectiveness.

Benefits of sharing data within government entities

Implementing a national data-sharing policy can streamline governance processes, empowering decision-makers with comprehensive insights derived from diverse datasets. Such informed decision-making can pave the way for targeted interventions in critical sectors like healthcare, education, and social welfare, enhancing citizen well-being.

Data from multiple sources can provide a more accurate and complete picture of a given situation, which can inform better policy decisions. Often, the true value of data lies not just in the data created or collected within one sector, but in being able to overlay or ‘mashup’ data from one sector with that which has been shared by another sector. For example, overlaying transport data with demographic data and spending patterns for transport transactions in mobile money data will help policymakers understand optimal route design.

Using agricultural data interlinked with spatial data to identify the improvement of crop yields, planting, and irrigation, fertiliser use is another example.

Shared data can improve disaster preparedness and response, equipping authorities with timely information to mitigate the impact of emergencies on communities. For example, in 2005, more than 800,000 individuals needed assistance after hurricane Katrina. As a result, a programme called the Disaster Assistance Improvement Program (DAIP) was started in 2008 with help from 16 other U.S. government agencies. They created a website that made it easier for people affected by disasters to find and apply for help.

The programme used technology from its partners and set up a system that connects different government programmes so that when people apply for assistance, they do not have to enter the same information multiple times. In sharing data across government agencies, this system improves the provision of assistance to disaster victims.

A culture of sharing data encourages collaboration and innovation, nurturing partnerships between academia, government, and the private sector. This can be done either through open data, which focuses on making certain datasets available to the public without restrictions or sharing data among government agencies for internal use and collaboration. It is important to note that the shared data does not contain sensitive information about specific individuals.

There are potential financial benefits of data sharing as well. By implementing a streamlined and centralised data-sharing system, governments can significantly reduce expenditures associated with maintaining multiple databases and conducting repeated data-gathering exercises.

Data sharing needs a framework to be effective

For data sharing to be effective, addressing concerns around data protection is paramount in building trust and ensuring compliance with privacy laws such as the Data Protection and Privacy law. The Government of Rwanda would have to prioritise robust governance processes to safeguard sensitive information and uphold data integrity.

This would entail implementing strict protocols for classifying data, quality assurance, and access control to mitigate risks of misuse or unauthorised disclosure. This would also require that all entities wishing to share their data would need to have their data well governed and structured.

The implementation of the steps included in the draft policy is likely to happen over a period of several years. Key steps involved in this process include:

i. Establishing governance and oversight mechanisms, such as a dedicated task force responsible for ensuring adherence to the policy.

ii. Defining standardised data-sharing protocols applicable to all participating members.

iii. Creating regulatory frameworks encompassing compliance, security, and risk management. This involves the development of national guidelines for data governance to promote uniformity across institutions.

iv. Constructing a reliable technology platform overseen by a specialised technical team. This platform should feature clear guidelines and processes, as well as ongoing educational support for participating members.

Embracing a culture of sharing data within the government holds immense potential for Rwanda. By leveraging data as a strategic asset and encouraging collaboration across sectors, the country can navigate complex challenges and propel towards sustainable growth. As Rwanda embarks on the digital transformative path, it must prioritise building resilient governance frameworks and nurturing a culture of responsible data stewardship to realise the full components of data sharing.

Hennie Bester is the programme director at Cenfri and Angelos Munezero is the Public Sector Digitisation Analyst at the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.