Introduction Data science health research (DSHR) presents new ethical challenges to the traditional model of human subject research, particularly by enabling data processing without the consent of data subjects. Although the current research governance framework makes informed consent a cornerstone of ethical research practices, obtaining individual consent can often be impractical in DSHR. This paper explores the alignment of DSHR with African customary governance and communal lifestyles as a framework for ethical research oversight. Methodology Using a mixed-method approach, this study integrates doctrinal analysis of legal and policy frameworks with case studies from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and South Africa. Data were synthesised from peer-reviewed literature, with a focus on initiatives that operationalise decolonised governance. Results Data science health research challenges traditional biomedical ethics by enabling data processing without consent, thereby questioning the longstanding principle that informed consent is a prerequisite for ethical research. However, this principle has been widely contested as a universal standard, particularly in African contexts where decision-making is often communal rather than individualistic. Case studies from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and South Africa illustrate that while informed consent remains a normative requirement, largely to satisfy the expectations of funding bodies, communal approval is paramount. Furthermore, religious and cultural traditions often accommodate forms of paternalistic consent, reinforcing collective decision-making structures. Conclusion Given that African societies emphasise communal governance, the ethical challenges posed by DSHR, particularly regarding consent, may be less pronounced in Africa. However, decolonisation and self-regulation are not merely theoretical constructs, but a practical and necessary process that requires deliberate action. Unless African leaders take decisive steps to restructure governance, prioritise self-reliance, and invest in homegrown research and development, the discourse on decolonising DSHR in Africa will remain purely theoretical, lacking the practical implementation needed for real change.
Maduka et al. (Wed,) studied this question.