By:
Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Economic Community of West African States has commenced its 20th Meeting of
Ministers in charge of Telecommunications, ICT, and Digitalization with an
Experts Preparatory Meeting in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from March 23 to 25,
2026.
The
session precedes the formal ministerial meeting scheduled for March 27 and is
being held under the chairmanship of Julius Maada Bio, in his capacity as Chair
of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. The gathering aligns
with the bloc’s broader vision of building a “Digital ECOWAS” that promotes
inclusive development across all member states.
The
meeting has brought together more than 40 technical experts from 12 ECOWAS
member countries, alongside representatives from the ECOWAS Commission and key
international partners, including the World Bank, GIZ, Smart Africa, and the
West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly.
In
his remarks, John Azumah emphasized that digitalization has become essential to
inclusive growth and regional integration, noting its alignment with ECOWAS
Vision 2050, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals.
Folake
Olagunju highlighted the importance of the technical review process, stating
that the discussions would shape the foundation of West Africa’s digital future
through the development of key regulatory and policy instruments.
Representing
the host country, Stevenson Kakpaete Kamanda reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s
commitment to advancing inclusive digital transformation, noting the growing
role of technology in governance, commerce, and public service delivery.
The
experts are reviewing several strategic initiatives, including the Revised
Supplementary Act on Personal Data Protection, which aims to harmonize data
governance frameworks across member states. Discussions are also focusing on
the development of a Regional Cybersecurity Coordination Centre and a Regional
Internet Exchange Point to strengthen digital infrastructure and improve data
sovereignty within the region.
In
addition, delegates are evaluating progress on the “Roam Like at Home”
initiative, designed to eliminate cross-border roaming charges and enhance
connectivity across West Africa.
Recommendations
from the experts’ meeting will be presented to ECOWAS ministers for
consideration and adoption, as the bloc continues efforts to build a unified
and resilient digital economy.
