1.
TOWARDS THE CREATION OF
AN “AFRICA OPEN DATA
COMMUNITY” (AfrODC)
Edwin A. Opare
Technical Lead and Open Data Evangelist
www.data.gov.gh

2.
Overview
Open Data concepts
 Why set it free?
 Which countries are opening up data
 Why the need for an Africa-wide Open
Data Community

2

3.
What is Open Data?
Open data is the idea that
certain kinds of data should be freely
available to the public in reusable
formats to use and republish as they
wish, without restrictions
from copyright, licenses, patents &
other control mechanisms.
3

4.
What data and information?
Wide variety of data/information like:
 Administrative
 Statistical
 Geospatial, maps
 Meteorological
 Research
 Databases, real-time data
4

5.
Every data except...
Personal
information
Commercially sensitive
Security implications
Culturally sensitive
Incomplete data and information that may
be materially misleading
5

6.
Reusable formats = 5 Star
Data
6

7.
Creating the Open Data
Community
Open Data is
an
Ecosystem
7

8.
The Ecosystem
8

9.
How the Ecosystem works
Positive
interaction
inspires
more
government
s to follow
suit
6
More data
attracts
more data
consumers
A
government
org
publishes
data
1
2
5
4
Demonstrable
use inspires
that govt. org
to publish more
Citizens &
developers
engage it,
providing
feedback
3
That govt.
org
incorporates
feedback,
improving
data
9

10.
Researchers
Bulk Data
Programmers
The Rest of Us
Apps
Explore Data
Interactively
10

11.
Why set your data free?
11

12.
Why set it free?

Promote Economic
development

Enable collaboration between
ecosystem

Efficient service delivery
Evidence based policy &
decision making
 Improved Data Quality


Enables inter-agency
collaboration
12

13.
How much should we pay for
Ferrous Sulfate + Folic Acid?
13

14.
Rwanda pays:
$0.12
per 100 tablets
Source: MSH International Drug Price Indicator Guide 2010
14

15.
DRC pays:
$0.20
per 100 tablets
Source: MSH International Drug Price Indicator Guide 2010
15

16.
MSH Median Seller Price:
$0.26
per 100 tablets
Source: MSH International Drug Price Indicator Guide 2010
16

17.
Namibia:
$0.90
per 100 tablets
Source: SARPAM Pharmaceutical Market Analysis
2010
17

18.
Swaziland:
$3.00
per 100 tablets
Source: SARPAM Pharmaceutical Market Analysis
2010
18

19.
In graphical terms
19

20.
Swaziland pays 25x more than
Rwanda for the same medicine.
20

21.
How do we set it free?
Open Data
Portals
21

22.
Current Africa
publishers are
Ghana, Kenya,
Morocco,
Tunisia
Visit data.gov.gh for list
of world open data
sites
22

23.
Why AfrODC?
Promote Economic Growth
 Drive Innovation & Wealth Co-creation
 Deepen cross-border relationships
 Encourage sharing across the
continent

23

24.
Let’s rally together & make AfrODC happen!!
www.data.gov.gh
@godigh || @aeopare
24