South Africa officially announced its membership in the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) and participation in the 50-in-5 campaign during the DPI Cooperation in Motion Milestone Event, held alongside the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
By joining this global coalition, South Africa reaffirms its commitment to safe, inclusive, and interoperable digital public infrastructure (DPI) — the foundational systems that enable secure, equitable, and scalable delivery of essential government services.
The 50-in-5 campaign brings together governments, development partners, and technical communities to support 50 countries in designing, implementing, and scaling DPI components by the end of 2028, ensuring that digital transformation efforts are sustainable, citizen-focused, and globally connected, even amid complex financial and geopolitical challenges.
“South Africa’s digital future must be built on systems that are open, trusted, and designed to serve everyone — especially our most vulnerable communities,” said Melvyn Lubega, Head of the Digital Services Unit in The Presidency, South Africa.
“Through our all-of-government approach, governed by our Interdepartmental Working Group and Inter-ministerial committee, implemented by the Digital Services Unit, and through the MyMzansi platform, we are modernising how services are delivered and laying the foundations for innovation and inclusion. Joining the DPGA and the 50-in-5 campaign gives South Africa the partnerships and global learning network we need to accelerate our Digital Transformation Roadmap and deliver results faster.”
As part of its roadmap, South Africa is developing MyMzansi, a unified, citizen-facing digital services platform that will enable people to access government services and benefits through a single, trusted digital channel. Supporting this will be key DPI components, including a national digital identity system, a payments orchestration platform, and MzansiXchange. This secure data exchange layer enables the seamless and privacy-respecting sharing of information across governments and partners.
These systems are being built using open standards and digital public goods (DPGs) to ensure interoperability, transparency, and long-term sovereignty over critical infrastructure. By working in the open and engaging a broad ecosystem of stakeholders, South Africa aims to reduce duplication, lower costs, and strengthen local capacity to deliver digital public services at scale.
Through the 50-in-5 campaign, South Africa will both contribute its experiences and learn from peer countries, fostering shared innovations and solutions that benefit the entire global community. This cooperation will also help align South Africa’s efforts with international best practices, positioning the country as a leader in African digital transformation.
The announcement was made alongside high-level representatives from East Africa Community, Nigeria, Serra Leone, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay, emphasising the collective global progress toward leveraging DPI to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event featured regional spotlights on Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia, demonstrating how cross-border collaboration can unlock inclusive digital ecosystems that empower both citizens and governments.
The DPI Cooperation in Motion Milestone Event was convened by the Digital Public Goods Alliance, with support from the Gates Foundation, the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure (CDPI), Co-Develop, UNDP, and the United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (UN-ODET).
For more information about South Africa’s participation in the 50-in-5 campaign and the DPGA, please visit 50in5.net.
About the Digital Services Unit (DSU) and Digital Transformation Roadmap
South Africa’s Digital Services Unit (DSU), established in the Presidency, leads the implementation of the delivery of the Digital Transformation Roadmap, approved by Cabinet in 2024 and governed by the Inter-ministerial Committee. This roadmap outlines a bold, multi-year plan to modernise public services, foster trust in government, and drive inclusive economic growth. By focusing on open, interoperable digital infrastructure and citizen-centric service design, the DSU is laying the foundations for a connected, responsive, and future-ready state. Please visit mymzansi.gov.za for more information.
About the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA)
The DPGA is a multi-stakeholder initiative that brings together governments, the private sector, and civil society to promote open-source technologies, known as digital public goods (DPGs), which enable safe, trusted, and interoperable digital ecosystems globally. By championing DPGs, the alliance helps countries build resilient and sovereign DPI for inclusive and sustainable development.
About the 50-in-5 Campaign
The 50-in-5 campaign seeks to radically shorten and improve countries’ journeys to building DPI. The goal is for 50 countries to design, implement, and scale at least one component of their DPI in a safe, inclusive, and interoperable manner by the end of 2028. Through cooperation and openness, 50-in-5 helps countries reduce costs, avoid duplication, and embed safety and inclusivity at the heart of digital transformation.
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