The West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) has intensified efforts to harmonise digital regulations across the region, as West Africa’s digital economy surpasses $200 billion and continues to expand.
The regional body reaffirmed this position in a statement released on Sunday following the conclusion of its 4th Working Groups Meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where regulators moved to align policy frameworks to support the next phase of digital growth across member states.
According to the body, the West African digital market, spanning e-commerce, digital payments, connectivity services, and digital platforms, is now estimated at over $200 billion, with projections placing it above $216 billion in 2024, underscoring the scale and pace of transformation underway.
What they are saying
Against this backdrop, WATRA said coordinated regulatory frameworks are becoming increasingly critical to ensure that digital expansion translates into broad-based economic and social gains.
The meeting, hosted by Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes du Burkina Faso, brought together regulators, technical experts, and stakeholders under the theme: “Building a Secure, Inclusive, and Resilient Digital Ecosystem for West Africa.”
WATRA Executive Secretary, Aliyu Yusuf Aboki, described the engagement as a transition from policy dialogue to the delivery of practical regulatory tools to guide national and regional actions.
- “Nearly two years after the establishment of the Working Groups, we can take pride in the progress achieved. What began as a vision has evolved into a dynamic mechanism for peer learning, coordination, and knowledge exchange,” Aboki said.
During the meeting, working groups finalised technical reports covering priority areas such as 5G deployment, submarine cable resilience, cybersecurity frameworks, consumer protection, and regulation of non-geostationary satellite systems.
- “These reports are not merely formalities. They will inform policy, guide regulatory action, and strengthen regional harmonisation,” he added.
WATRA noted that the rapid expansion of technologies such as digital financial services, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things is reshaping the region’s economic landscape and requires more adaptive regulatory approaches.
More insights
According to WATRA, beyond its size, the digital economy is increasingly emerging as a core driver of economic expansion across the region, supporting productivity gains, enabling new business models, and accelerating enterprise creation.
It is also playing a critical role in improving welfare outcomes by expanding access to financial services, education, and healthcare, while deepening inclusion by connecting rural and underserved populations to formal economic systems.
- “Within this ecosystem, Nigeria remains the largest digital economy in the region, driven by its strong base of telecom operators and fintech companies, while Ghana continues to position itself as a hub for digital payments and financial innovation,” WATRA stated.
It added that Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal are emerging as key growth centres for digital infrastructure and services, contributing to a more distributed and competitive regional market.
The regional body emphasised that sustained collaboration among regulators will be critical to bridging the digital divide and ensuring that the benefits of digital transformation are widely distributed.
WATRA added that recommendations from the meeting will be presented to its General Assembly for consideration, as it continues to position itself at the centre of regulatory coordination for West Africa’s fast-evolving digital economy.
The outcomes of the meeting are expected to feed into the organisation’s 2026–2030 strategic plan, while also supporting the evaluation of its current 2022–2025 framework.
What you should know
WATRA was established in 2002 as a result of the need for a common platform for the telecommunications and ICT regulators in the West African region to exchange information, share best practices, and coordinate their actions.
- The organization plays an important role in harmonizing the regulatory framework and policies for telecommunications and ICT in the region.
- WATRA develops and implements the West African Common Regulatory Framework for Telecommunications and ICT, which provides guidelines and principles for the regulation of the sector in the region.
WATRA also coordinates and harmonizes the national policies and regulations of the member states to ensure consistency and compatibility in the region.
