Comparative Analysis of the Emerging Super App Model in East Africa: Consolidated Data Extraction and Fragmented Digital Governance

Resumen

Super apps, integrating diverse digital functions into single platforms, have reshaped mobile ecosystems, drawing scholarly attention beyond Silicon Valley models. While research has focused on Asian cases like WeChat and Alipay, East Africa’s super apps, such as Kenya’s M-Pesa and Ethiopia’s Telebirr, remain underexplored despite their rapid rise. M-Pesa, operated by Safaricom, serves over 30 million users, while Telebirr, under Ethio Telecom, has reached 36 million in two years. Both, supported by Huawei, dominate nearly 50% of mobile connections in their countries and evolve through third-party integrations, mirroring Asian super apps. This study investigates: (a) M-Pesa and Telebirr’s data collection, storage, and usage strategies, and their impact on state and corporate control over personal information; (b) how Kenya’s market-driven and Ethiopia’s state-led regulatory environments shape these platforms compared to Asian counterparts; and (c) whether power dynamics among states, corporations, and users reinforce or challenge data colonialism in the Global South’s digital infrastructures. Employing postcolonial computing and platform and infrastructure studies, the research combines case study and comparative methods, using desk research, online fieldwork, and document analysis to examine policy environments, data practices, and platform functionalities. Preliminary findings reveal Kenya’s competitive fintech landscape fosters M-Pesa’s corporate expansion, while Ethiopia’s statism embeds Telebirr in governance, enhancing surveillance. Both platforms’ reliance on Huawei raises data sovereignty concerns. These dynamics suggest data colonialism, as unchecked data extraction risks exploitation. This study enriches postcolonial and infrastructural theories, deepening insights into East African platformization.