The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, in collaboration with the World Bank and Sense Strategy as part of the West Africa Regional digital Integration Programme, held a validation workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, last week to review the draft Regional E-Government Strategy, a significant milestone in the region's digital transformation efforts.
The meeting brought together top officials, digital economy experts, and representatives from ministries, regulatory organisations, and institutions from all ECOWAS member countries.
The workshop sought to establish the strategic direction, governance arrangements, and implementation roadmap for a single, citizen-centered regional e-government framework.
The draft strategy is based on ECOWAS' overarching development frameworks Vision 2050, the Community Strategic Framework (2023-2027), and the Digital Sector Development Strategy (2024-2029), and it is also in line with continental and global instruments such as the African Union's (AU) Digital Transformation Strategy 2030, the AU Data Policy Framework, and the UN Global Compact.
The Sierra Leone delegation, which currently serves as Chair of the ECOWAS ICT Expert Group, delivered goodwill remarks through Aminata Omaru Thollay, deputy director of the Ministry of Communication, Technology, and Innovation.
“A regional approach is not only beneficial but non-negotiable,” she stated. “Only coordinated action can transform isolated pockets of progress into a coherent pathway for digital advancement across West Africa.”
She referred to the workshop as a historic event, emphasising the need of collective ownership in pushing regional digital advancement.
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