The West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) is advancing a position for stronger regulatory harmonisation across West Africa, as experts call for coordinated policies to support the region’s growing digital economy.
This position emerged during the fourth in-person meeting of WATRA’s working groups on Consumer Access and Experience, Infrastructure Development, and Cybersecurity, held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
The four-day meeting, hosted by the Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP), was themed “Building a Secure, Inclusive, and Resilient Digital Ecosystem for West Africa,” reflecting a regional focus on addressing connectivity gaps, strengthening cybersecurity frameworks and improving user access.
According to him, the initiative underscores the importance of coordinated regulatory frameworks in addressing structural challenges in the region’s digital ecosystem, including infrastructure deficits, affordability constraints and uneven access to digital services.
At the meeting, WATRA presented draft guidelines, policy recommendations and final reports developed over a two-year mandate, with the outputs expected to guide regulatory actions and digital policy alignment across member states.
Aliyu Aboki, Executive Secretary of WATRA, says the recommendations are designed to support practical implementation across the region.
“These outputs are not merely formalities. They are practical instruments that will inform policy, guide regulatory action, and strengthen regional harmonisation,” he says.
According to him, the initiative underscores the importance of coordinated regulatory frameworks in addressing structural challenges in the region’s digital ecosystem, including infrastructure deficits, affordability constraints and uneven access to digital services.
The engagement also featured contributions from Patrice Compaore, Executive Secretary of ARCEP Burkina Faso and Pasteur Poda, Chairman of the Regulatory Council of ARCEP Burkina Faso, ahead of technical sessions where participants reviewed sector-specific reports and deliberated on policy priorities.
WATRA, which brings together telecommunications regulators across West Africa, is working to align national frameworks with regional and global standards in areas such as broadband expansion, spectrum management and consumer protection.
The organisation’s current focus reflects broader challenges facing the region. Data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) shows that internet penetration in Africa stood at about 38 per cent in 2024, compared to a global average of 68%, highlighting persistent gaps in access driven by infrastructure limitations and affordability.
Cybersecurity also remains a priority, as increased digital adoption exposes systems to evolving threats. Member states are strengthening frameworks in line with regional and continental instruments such as the Malabo Convention, which provides a framework for data protection and cybersecurity governance.
The WATRA position signals a continued push toward harmonised regulation as a mechanism for accelerating digital development, improving cross-border interoperability and enhancing resilience across West Africa’s digital ecosystem.
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