The Economic Community of West African States Commission (ECOWAS) is set to finalise a landmark Draft Directive Governing Electronic Communications, aiming to establish a harmonised legal and regulatory framework to drive the growth and development of the digital sector across the region.
Through its Directorate of Digital Economy and Post, the commission is currently holding a three-day validation workshop, in Abuja, Nigeria. The workshop runs from 22 to 24 September.
The meeting is being chaired by the Ministry of Communications Technology and Innovation of Sierra Leone.
According to ECOWAS, it brings together key stakeholders, including representatives from the ECOWAS member nations’ ministries in charge of ICT and digitalisation, national regulatory authorities, and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAENU) Commission.
Folake Olagunju, acting director of Digital Economy and Post at ECOWAS, who inaugurated the meeting, highlighted the transformative potential of the digital economy for West Africa, emphasising that electronic communications are its backbone.
Olagunju highlighted the importance of a coherent, forward-looking regulatory system to encourage investment and foster innovation.
With six years in the making since 2019, under the coordination of WAENU, the final draft reflects a broad spectrum of aspirations and expectations from the region, noted the regional body.
Furthermore, ECOWAS emphasised the crucial support from the World Bank through the Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program, which aims to expand broadband access and promote digital market integration across the region.
The acting director also shared that the commission is actively preparing initiatives to address other critical digital issues identified during consultations, such as artificial intelligence, facial recognition, cyber security, personal data, and digital platforms.
ECOWAS noted that Olagunju concluded the meeting by urging participants to actively participate and engage.
“The strength of this framework will be shaped by the depth of the inputs which would go on to lay the foundation for a resilient, innovative and inclusive digital future for West Africa,” quotes an ECOWAS statement.
The 15 ECOWAS member states are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
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