Training on Digital Public Goods (DPGs): Adoption and Localization

Across Africa and the Middle East, organizations are under pressure to deliver digital services faster, cheaper, and more inclusively yet many keep rebuilding the same systems from scratch. The result? High costs, fragmented platforms, vendor lock-in, and solutions that don’t scale or fit local realities.

Digital Public Goods offer a smarter path.

DPGs such as open-source software, open standards, open data, and open AI models are designed to be shared, adapted, and reused. When adopted and localized properly, they help governments strengthen digital sovereignty, NGOs scale social impact, and corporates build interoperable, future-ready solutions.

This course focuses on how to move from awareness to action. You’ll learn how to identify suitable DPGs, adapt them to local needs, govern them responsibly, and integrate them into real programs and products without treating “open” as a shortcut or an afterthought.

Duration

10 Days 

Who Should Attend

• Government digital transformation and ICT leaders

• Regulators and policy advisors

• NGOs and development organizations

• Digital public infrastructure program teams

• Corporate technology and innovation leaders

• System integrators and solution providers

• Open-source and civic tech practitioners

• Development partners and regional institutions

Individual Impact

• Understand DPGs without technical overwhelm

• Gain confidence evaluating open digital solutions

• Learn how to localize technology for real-world contexts

• Strengthen strategic and implementation decision-making

• Build credibility in digital transformation initiatives

Organizational Impact

• Reduce technology costs and duplication

• Improve speed and scale of digital service delivery

• Strengthen interoperability and digital sovereignty

• Enable collaboration across public, social, and private sectors

• Build sustainable, locally relevant digital systems

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain what Digital Public Goods are and why they matter

• Identify DPGs suitable for their organizational needs

• Localize and adapt DPGs to local contexts

• Integrate DPGs into existing systems and services

• Address governance, security, and sustainability challenges

• Build partnerships around shared digital infrastructure

• Develop a DPG adoption and localization roadmap

Module 1: Understanding Digital Public Goods

• What qualifies as a Digital Public Good

• Why DPGs matter for development and innovation

• DPGs vs proprietary digital solutions

• Common misconceptions about “open”
  Exercise: Identify digital systems that could be DPGs
  Case Study: A widely adopted Digital Public Good

Module 2: The DPG Ecosystem and Global Landscape

• Open-source software, open data, and open standards

• The role of global and regional DPG initiatives

• Who builds, governs, and funds DPGs

• Where Africa & the Middle East fit in
  Practical: Map the DPG ecosystem relevant to your work
  Case Study: Global collaboration around a shared DPG

Module 3: Use Cases Across Sectors

• Government digital services and registries

• NGOs and social program platforms

• Corporate solutions built on open infrastructure

• Cross-border and regional interoperability
  Exercise: Identify high-impact DPG use cases
  Case Study: Multi-sector DPG deployment

Module 4: Localization—Making DPGs Work Locally

• Language, culture, and user needs

• Policy, regulatory, and institutional alignment

• Infrastructure and connectivity realities

• Avoiding “copy-paste” implementations
  Practical: Design a localization plan
  Case Study: Successful local adaptation of a DPG

Module 5: Technical Integration and Interoperability

• Integrating DPGs with existing systems

• APIs, standards, and modular architecture

• Data exchange and interoperability challenges

• Ensuring reliability and performance
  Exercise: Map system integration requirements
  Case Study: Interoperable digital platforms

Module 6: Governance, Security, and Trust

• Governance models for shared digital goods

• Security, privacy, and data protection

• Managing updates and contributions

• Accountability across stakeholders
  Practical: Design a governance framework
  Case Study: Governance failures and lessons learned

Module 7: Sustainability and Financing Models

• Funding DPGs beyond pilots

• Public, donor, and private sector contributions

• Building local ownership and capacity

• Avoiding dependency on external actors
  Exercise: Develop a sustainability plan
  Case Study: Long-term sustainability of a DPG

Module 8: Legal, Policy, and Procurement Considerations

• Open-source licensing explained simply

• Procurement rules and DPG adoption

• Intellectual property and risk management

• Aligning with national digital strategies
  Practical: Assess procurement readiness
  Case Study: Policy-enabled DPG adoption

Module 9: Measuring Impact and Scaling Adoption

• Defining success for DPG initiatives

• Measuring social, operational, and economic impact

• Scaling across regions and institutions

• Managing change and stakeholder buy-in
  Exercise: Design a DPG impact framework
  Case Study: Scaling a DPG nationally or regionally

Module 10: Building a DPG Adoption and Localization Strategy

• Prioritizing DPG opportunities

• Building partnerships and ecosystems

• Skills, governance, and roadmap development

• Future trends in digital public infrastructure
  Capstone Exercise: Develop a DPG adoption roadmap
  Case Study: Strategic national or organizational DPG programs