Madagascar's digital economy is expanding rapidly, yet the country's regulatory framework has failed to keep pace. According to GSMA data on the digital economy, internet access on the…
Madagascar's digital economy is expanding rapidly, yet the country's regulatory framework has failed to keep pace. According to GSMA data on the digital economy, internet access on the island grew from 1% of the population in 2005 to over 20% by 2025. Despite this growth, the primary legislation governing internet operations and digital services remains a law enacted in 2005.
John Andrianantoanina, an economist and founder of the CREM (Cercle de réflexion des économistes de Madagascar) think tank, argues that current regulations are obsolete because they were drafted before the mass adoption of smartphones. He notes that while Madagascar has integrated into the artificial intelligence (AI) value chain, its role is limited to low-level tasks such as data annotation and preparation for French AI firms. Furthermore, the island accounts for less than 0.1% of AI-related job postings and code creation across Africa.
To address these gaps, the government submitted draft law No. 040/2026 on electronic communications and digital infrastructure to the National Assembly in late August 2026. The reform aims to remove barriers for new investors and broaden population access to the network.
This is a source-linked briefing. Read the original report from Pravda .