Chinese surveillance tech rolled out in Africa with ZTE, Hikvision and Huawei at the helm

A new report from the UK-based Institute of Development Studies (IDS) has mapped the extensive rollout of Chinese surveillance technology across major African cities, including Nairobi, Lusaka, and Abuja. The 'Smart City Surveillance in Africa' report, released in March, found that Chinese companies ZTE, Hikvision, and Huawei are supplying the core equipment and technology for 'safe city' projects in all 11 nations surveyed, including Kenya, Nigeria, and Egypt. This infrastructure—comprising surveillance cameras and centralized command centers—is being funded through credit lines from Chinese state banks as part of China's broader Digital Silk Road initiative.

Despite being marketed as tools to counter terrorism and curb crime, the IDS researchers document that African governments are frequently repurposing these systems for political surveillance. In the absence of robust legal frameworks, the technology is being used to monitor, track, and repress political opposition groups, peaceful dissidents, and human rights activists. Co-author Tony Roberts warns that this unregulated expansion creates a 'chilling effect,' directly inhibiting the right to peaceful protest and reducing citizens' ability to hold governments accountable. The findings highlight a significant tension between public safety promises and the risks of digital authoritarianism, raising critical questions about data sovereignty and human rights in the era of smart city development.