Abuja: The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, in partnership with the World Bank and Sense Strategy under the West Africa Regional Digital Integration Programme (WARDIP), organized a validation workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, to review the draft Regional E-Government Strategy. This workshop marks a significant step in the region’s digital transformation agenda.

According to African Press Organization, the workshop convened senior officials, digital economy experts, and representatives from ministries, regulatory bodies, and institutions across all ECOWAS Member States. The primary aim was to finalize the strategic direction, governance arrangements, and implementation roadmap for a unified, citizen-centred regional e-government framework.

Mrs. Folake Olagunju, Acting Director of Digital Economy and Post, emphasized the strategic importance of the initiative on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission. She noted that the draft strategy is aligned with ECOWAS’ development frameworks like Vision
2050, the Community Strategic Framework (2023-2027), and the Digital Sector Development Strategy (2024-2029). It also aligns with continental and global instruments including the AU Digital Transformation Strategy 2030, the AU Data Policy Framework, and the UN Global Digital Compact (GDC). Extensive diagnostics confirmed the shared commitment of Member States to a transformative, inclusive, and interoperable regional approach to digital governance.

Mrs. Aminata Omaru Thollay, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Communication, Technology and Innovation from Sierra Leone, the current Chair of the ECOWAS ICT Expert Group, expressed the workshop’s significance. She emphasized the necessity of a regional approach for digital progress in West Africa, describing it as both beneficial and essential for coordinated action.

Participants engaged in detailed discussions on the strategy’s proposed pillars and the principles guiding the strategy, such as regional coherence with national flexibility, citizen-centred deve
lopment, trust, resilience, and sustainability. The ECOWAS Commission acknowledged the vital contributions of Member States, regional partners, and Sense Strategy, the consulting firm aiding the strategy’s development.

The outcomes of this workshop will contribute to the final version of the Regional E-Government Strategy, which will be presented for adoption through the ECOWAS decision-making structures.