The ECOWAS Commission has reaffirmed it's commitment to digitally inclusive and interconnected region as it launched regional workshop to advance West Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (WARDIP) in Abuja.
The workshop on Policy Coordination and Knowledge Exchange on Connectivity Market Integration in partnership with the World Bank-funded WARDIP, officially launched the two-day workshop in Abuja.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Folake Olagunju, Acting Director of Digital Economy and Post at the ECOWAS Commission, emphasised the importance of aligning national digital agendas with regional objectives as set out in the ECOWAS Digital Sector Development Strategy (2024–2029).
A statement on Thursday said she called for greater synergy among Member States to bridge the digital divide and promote affordable, inclusive connectivity solutions.
“This workshop must move us from coordination to commitment. Only through shared ownership and concrete collaboration can we build an integrated digital market that truly serves our citizens,” she said.
The Assistant Director for Telecoms and Postal Services at the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of Nigeria, Engr. Waidi Abdulkareem, who chaired the workshop reaffirmed Nigeria’s strong commitment to regional integration through digital infrastructure and regulatory cooperation.
He underscored the importance of cross-border collaboration in accelerating broadband expansion, fostering innovation, and ensuring no country is left behind in the region’s digital transformation.
He expressed Nigeria’s readiness to work alongside the ECOWAS Commission and its partners to implement harmonised frameworks that support inclusive growth and digital sovereignty across West Africa.
Daily Independent gathered that the workshop is a key milestone in the implementation of Axis 2 of the ECOWAS Digital Strategy,
which focuses on digital infrastructure development and broadband affordability.
It is also directly linked to Component 2 of WARDIP, which aims to foster an enabling regulatory environment, stimulate private sector investment, and facilitate cross-border infrastructure development to support the region’s digital integration goals.
The workshop convenes key actors from ECOWAS Member States, telecommunications regulators, regional institutions, development partners, and private sector stakeholders
to engage in forward-looking dialogue on improving broadband access and regulatory harmonisation across the region.