Computational models of the likely spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus have been instrumental in guiding governments’ strategies to limit disease transmission and control the current public-health crisis. In developing countries, where the pandemic is potentially at its most dangerous and costly, we call for governments to work with academic institutions to build and sustain modelling capacity.

Models are not silver bullets for fixing the ills of developing countries. Nevertheless, partnerships with international academic modelling communities (see, for example, F. Squazzoni et al. J. Artif. Soc. Soc. Simul. 23, 10; 2020) and the participation of stakeholders and experts from different disciplines could help to build useful models.

Such models would combine knowledge of computational techniques with local contextual knowledge of social processes. They would enable policymakers to distil choices from uncertainties, particularly when stakes are high and resources limited. Once set up, they could be used in times of both crisis and calm.