How African Governments Are Supporting Remote Work
How are African governments accelerating the shift to remote work? Through infrastructure upgrades, skill acquisition programmes and more. Explore key initiatives driving this transformation in some of the continent's biggest economies.
Beyond private and third sector organisations, African governments have also started to recognise digitalisation as a strategic opportunity to boost remote work opportunities and economic growth as a whole.
Government support for remote work in Africa is increasingly seen as a way to address unemployment, integrate African talent into global labour markets, and reduce urban congestion.
As a result, several governments all over the continent are investing in policies, such as infrastructure and skills development, to support remote work ecosystems (either directly or indirectly).
Here are some of such remote work initiatives by African governments, specifically in four of the continent's top six economies (as of 2025):
Nigeria
National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS)—2020-2030
Nigeria launched the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020–2030) on November 28 2019, through the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. This policy is the foundation of Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda and positions digital work and online services as key economic drivers.
Key features: The strategy identifies eight critical pillars, namely, developmental regulation; digital literacy and skills; solid infrastructure; service infrastructure; digital services development and promotion; digital society and emerging technologies; digital society and emerging technologies; and indigenous content promotion and adoption. The development of the solid infrastructure pillar forms the main focus of the Plan.
National Broadband Plan (NBP)—2020–2025
Introduced on March 20, 2020, by the Nigerian Communications Commission, the National Broadband Plan targets universal internet access at affordable speeds. The plan has since been extended to 2030.
Key features: The NBP addresses 3 of the 8 priorities that the Federal Government assigned to the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and the parastatals under its purview, for implementation. These priorities are the implementation of broadband connectivity and execution of a plan to deploy 4G across the country, as well as the development and implementation of a digital economy policy and strategy.
Digital Nigeria Programme
Launched on March 19, 2020, via the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, this programme aims to empower innovators and entrepreneurs with the skills required to thrive in Nigeria's emerging digital economy.
Key features: Through this partnership and as part of the IBM Digital Nation Africa programme, the Ministry will be providing Nigerians with over 280 hours of free learning and more than 85 courses on key emerging technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing.
South Africa
Remote Work/Digital Nomad Visa
South Africa officially introduced a remote work visa (also called a Digital Nomad Visa) with the Third Amendment of the Immigration Regulations, 2014, which was gazetted on 9 October 2024. This new visa category allows foreign nationals to live in South Africa while working remotely for overseas employers or clients rather than working for a local South African business.
Key features: The visa is issued as a long-term visitor visa, sometimes called a Remote Work Visitor Visa, under South Africa’s Immigration Act. It allows holders to live and work remotely in South Africa for up to three years, usually granted in 12-month increments that can be renewed.
Applicants must demonstrate a minimum annual income of ZAR 650,976 (≈USD 35,000–37,000) from foreign sources. Proof of a valid remote work arrangement or foreign employment contract is required, verified through bank statements or income documentation. Applicants must provide a clean criminal record certificate from their country of habitual residence.
The visa covers individuals working for foreign employers or independently for international clients. Spouses and dependents may apply to accompany the primary visa holder, though separate visas or endorsements may be required.
National Digital and Future Skills Strategy
The South African government approved the National Digital and Future Skills Strategy in August 2020 via the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT).
Key features: The strategy is organised as eight interconnected strategy elements:
- Digital foundations: Basic and intermediate digital skills
- Digital futures and mastery: Building advanced digital skills
- Skills for Industry 4.0 and the world of work
- Creating Society 4.0 and addressing the digital skills divide
- Building digital skills awareness
- Research and monitoring on digital skills
- Co-ordination across government, industry, labour and other stakeholder groups
- Funding for digital skills
Each element has a set of strategic action points, and there are 28 action points in all. Government and other stakeholders can design their specific action plans pursuant to this broad strategy direction.
South Africa (SA) Connect
SA Connect seeks to meet the technology goals of the National Development Plan of creating an inclusive information society and position the government to play an enabling role in the provision of broadband to a number of underserved district municipalities, thereby bridging broadband connectivity gaps. It was introduced inapproved in November 2013.
Key features: The programme is divided into phases: Phase 1 (the pilot) and Phase 2. Phase 1 connected 970 government facilities, which include schools and healthcare facilities. The momentum continued with 5 479 households, 188 community Wi-Fi hotspots and over 7 000 government offices and police stations connected to the internet as of October 2023.
Phase 2 aims to achieve 100% broadband access for all communities and government facilities within three years (2023/24 – 2025/26) at a minimum speed of 5 Megabits per second (mbps) for households and 10 mbps for government facilities, including public schools and health facilities.
Latest Remote Jobs in South Africa
Egypt
Digital Egypt Strategy
In alignment with Egypt Vision 2030 and Egypt’s digital transformation strategy, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) embarked on building Digital Egypt in 2016. Digital Egypt is an all-encompassing vision and plan, laying the foundations for the transformation of Egypt into a digital society.
Key features: Three main pillars: digital transformation, digital upskilling and digital innovation.
National Broadband Plan (eMisr)
Launched in 2011, eMisr is a National Broadband Plan that is envisaged to create a robust national broadband ecosystem to meet Egypt's needs for the 21st century. To develop eMisr, NTRA has conducted studies, consultations, workshops and meetings with relevant stakeholders.
Key features: The eMisr National Broadband Plan is a two-stage plan. Its first phase, “A Framework for Broadband Development”, proposes a list of strategic options and recommendations to achieve set targets by addressing supply and demand constraints. The second phase, a “Broadband Action Plan”, is the execution stage of eMisr. It details a list of action items with timelines and responsibilities needed for the execution of the plan.
Digital Egypt Builders Initiative (DEBI)
Introduced in September 2020, DEBI is a scholarship launched by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) in September 2020. It seeks to empower the next generation of Egyptian youth to become world-class leaders capable of implementing Egypt's digital vision.
Key features: DEBI is divided into two programs: DEBI Senior (12 months) and DEBI Professional (eight months). Trainees receive professional certificates after completing the training in various ICT-related fields successfully.
Kenya
National Optic Fibre Backbone Infrastructure (NOFBI)
The National Optic Fibre Backbone Infrastructure (NOFBI) is a government-led fibre-optic broadband project in Kenya designed to expand high-capacity internet infrastructure across the country. It was conceived and implemented in multiple phases beginning in the mid-2000s as part of Kenya’s broader digital transformation and Vision 2030 development goals.
Key features: Phase 1 (2007–2009): Installed an optical fibre network of approximately 4,300 km linking key towns and district headquarters. Phase 2 (from 2014): Added around 2,100 km of fibre to connect all 47 county headquarters and establish metropolitan networks, building redundancy and resilience into the national backbone.
National Broadband Strategy (2018–2023)
The National Broadband Strategy of Kenya was adopted in 2018 to transform Kenya into a globally competitive knowledge-based society enabled by affordable, secure and fast broadband connectivity. It builds on an earlier broadband strategy (2013-2017) and aligns with the country’s broader development frameworks, such as Vision 2030 and national economic agendas.
Key features: The strategy is premised on the following seven thematic areas:
- Infrastructure and Connectivity
- Services, Content, and Applications
- Capacity Building and Innovations
- Policy, Legislation, and Regulation
- Privacy and Security
- Broadband Devices
- Finance and Investment
Remote Work/Digital Nomad Visa
Kenya introduced a Remote Work (Digital Nomad) Visa in 2024 to attract foreign professionals who work remotely for overseas employers or international clients.
Key features: Kenya’s Class N Digital Nomad Permit allows foreign nationals to live in Kenya while working remotely for employers or clients located outside the country. The permit is issued for 1–2 years and is renewable. Applicants must have a valid passport and demonstrate proof of remote work outside Kenya.
To qualify, applicants must provide proof of accommodation in Kenya (e.g., hotel booking or lease). A clean criminal record certificate from the applicant’s country of habitual residence is required.
Some official sources report a minimum assured annual income threshold of around USD 55,000 from foreign sources as part of the eligibility criteria for the visa. Visa holders must not engage in employment or income-generating activities for Kenyan companies while on the permit. Fees for the permit commonly include a non-refundable USD 200 processing fee and an issuance fee of about USD 1,000 per year.
Conclusion
While challenges such as uneven connectivity and digital skills gaps remain, the coordinated investments outlined above demonstrate that remote work initiatives by African governments are no longer experimental. They form part of long-term economic blueprints aimed at job creation, innovation and inclusive growth across urban and rural communities.