Cabo Verde Digital - the vision

The Vision: A "Cyber Island" in the Mid-Atlantic

Cabo Verde's government aims to transform the archipelago from a tourism-dependent economy into a "Digital Nation" and a "Cyber Island" serving as a bridge between Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The central economic goal of this pivot is to increase the digital economy's contribution to the national GDP from approximately 6% to at least 25% by 2030.

To achieve this, the government has implemented the Digital Economy Strategy (EEDCV), which is built on four major strategic pillars designed to overcome the country's geographical fragmentation and scarcity of natural resources.

Location of Cabo Verde

The Cabo Verde Digital Economy Strategy (EEDCV) is structured around six fundamental pillars designed to support the vision of transforming the country into a digital hub in the Atlantic.

1. Digital Infrastructure (Infraestrutura Digital) Considered the foundation for sustainable digital transformation, this pillar aims to develop a robust and modern infrastructure that allows universal access to high-quality digital services.

Key Focus: Expanding connectivity (broadband and 5G), strengthening data centers for storage and processing, and developing the Tech Parks in Praia and Mindelo.

2. Capacity Building and Brain Gain (Capacitação e Brain Gain) This pillar focuses on preparing society for the digital era by developing advanced digital skills across all age groups and addressing the challenge of "brain drain".

Key Focus: Training the local workforce, promoting digital literacy, and implementing a "Brain Gain" strategy to engage the 1.4 million Cabo Verdeans in the diaspora to invest and collaborate in the country's development.

3. Market and Innovation (Mercado e Inovação) Aiming to boost competitiveness, this pillar seeks to accelerate innovation and support the growth of startups and technology-based companies.

Key Focus: Expanding the startup ecosystem, promoting the internationalization of Cabo Verdean tech companies, and fostering a "cashless economy" through digital payments and Fintech innovation.

4. Governance and Policies (Governança e Políticas) This pillar is dedicated to structuring the digital transformation with transparency and efficiency by creating a favorable regulatory and institutional environment.

Key Focus: Implementing the "Startup Act," regulating new technologies (like AI and blockchain), and creating a Digital Observatory to monitor progress based on evidence.

5. Inclusion and Sustainability (Inclusão e Sustentabilidade) Ensuring an equitable future, this pillar guarantees that the benefits of the digital economy reach all segments of society while respecting environmental limits.

Key Focus: Reducing the digital divide by including vulnerable populations and promoting "green" technology practices aligned with sustainable development goals.

6. Security and Resilience (Segurança e Resiliência) Recognizing the risks of a digitized world, this pillar focuses on protecting digital infrastructure and ensuring the continuity of critical services.

Key Focus: Updating the national cybersecurity plan, strengthening data protection regimes to achieve EU recognition, and ensuring resilience against cyberattacks and natural disasters.

Key Strategy 1: World-Class Connectivity and Infrastructure

The physical foundation of the strategy is to leverage Cabo Verde's geostrategic location to become a data traffic hub for West Africa.

Submarine Cable Hub: The strategy prioritizes connecting to major fiber-optic networks. This includes the operational EllaLink (connecting Europe and Latin America) and the upcoming Amílcar Cabral cable, which will link Cabo Verde to neighbors like Guinea and Liberia. The goal is to ensure redundancy and export bandwidth to the West African mainland.
TechPark CV: A major component is the Cabo Verde Technology Park (TechPark CV), with campuses in Praia and Mindelo. Financed largely by the African Development Bank (€45.5 million), it serves as a business center, data center hub, and incubation site for international tech firms.
5G and Cloud: The government has launched a national 5G strategy to achieve 90% internet penetration by 2026 and full 5G coverage by 2028. This is complemented by a "Cloud First" policy to modernize public administration infrastructure.

Key Strategy 2: "Digital Brain Gain" and Human Capital

Acknowledging its small domestic market, Cabo Verde is aggressively targeting international talent and its vast diaspora to build a skilled workforce.

Go Global / Digital Brain Gain: This strategic pillar focuses on attracting highly skilled professionals from the Cabo Verdean diaspora to return or invest in the digital sector. It also involves the "Remote Working Program," offering temporary visas and tax exemptions to digital nomads to live and work from the islands.
Youth Empowerment: To address youth unemployment, programs like WebLab (containerized tech labs in schools) and NOSiAkademia (internships) are retraining the youth in coding, robotics, and digital literacy. The goal is to move from basic literacy to advanced skills certification.

Key Strategy 3: Digital Governance (E-Gov)

Building on a 25-year track record, the government aims to export its e-governance expertise while digitizing its own operations.

Digital Public Services: The target is to have 60% of vital public services online by 2026. This includes the implementation of a "Single Government Portal" and the "Mobile Digital Key" (CMCV) for secure authentication.
Regional Export: The Operational Nucleus for the Information Society (NOSi) acts as the technical engine for this strategy. Beyond domestic management, NOSi is positioning Cabo Verde as an exporter of e-governance solutions to other African nations, such as Mozambique and Equatorial Guinea.

The strategy is operationalized through 4 pillars, each with specific strategic mandates:

Connectivity and Infrastructure: The priority is to expand broadband access to ensure universal coverage. Specific objectives include implementing 5G technology, expanding fiber optics to rural areas, and strengthening Data Centers to ensure secure storage and processing,,. The strategy also emphasizes the development of "Smart Cities" to integrate IoT for better urban management.
Digital Skills and "Brain Gain": To combat the "brain drain," the objective is to implement a "Brain Gain" strategy. This involves developing advanced ICT training programs (such as the "Kode Verde" project), introducing digital literacy initiatives for all ages, and actively engaging the diaspora to invest in the technological sector,,,.
Market and Innovation: The strategy seeks to build a "cashless economy" by expanding digital payment infrastructure and financial literacy,. It also aims to create "Sandboxes"—controlled regulatory environments—for testing emerging technologies like Fintech, AI, and blockchain,.
E-Government and Governance: A key objective is the creation of a "Govtech Seal" to certify national tech companies, encouraging their participation in public tenders. The strategy also calls for the creation of a Digital Observatory to monitor progress and provide evidence-based policy recommendations.

Key Strategy 4: A Pro-Business Regulatory Ecosystem

To attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and foster startups, the government is overhauling its legal and fiscal frameworks.