WATRA Drives Growth for West Africa’s $216bn Digital Economy

The West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), a regional body comprising telecommunications regulators from 16 West African countries, has reaffirmed its commitment to developing a secure, inclusive and resilient digital ecosystem. This commitment follows the conclusion of the organization’s 4th Working Groups Meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The meeting was hosted by the Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes du Burkina Faso (ARCEP) and convened regulators, technical experts, and stakeholders under the theme Building a Secure, Inclusive, and Resilient Digital Ecosystem for West Africa.

According to Mr. Aliyu Yusuf Aboki, the executive secretary of WATRA, the gathering represents a transition for the organization from a phase of dialogue to the delivery of practical regulatory tools. Aboki, a telecommunications engineer and policy specialist with over 20 years of experience in the ICT sector including work with MTN and Ericsson, stated that the Working Groups have evolved from a vision into a mechanism for coordination, knowledge exchange, and peer learning.

Technical Frameworks and Strategic Goals

During the meeting, the Working Groups finalized a series of technical reports designed to guide policy and regulatory action across the 16 member states. These reports address several critical areas of the region’s digital transformation, including:

• 5G deployment
• Submarine cable resilience
• Cybersecurity frameworks
• Consumer protection
• Non-geostationary satellite (NGSO) regulation

These reports are not merely formalities. They will inform policy, guide regulatory action, and strengthen regional harmonisation

Aliyu Yusuf Aboki

The outputs from these groups are intended to serve as practical instruments for member states. The results will be used to evaluate WATRA’s 2022–2025 Strategic Plan and will help inform the development of the organization’s 2026–2030 strategy.

The Economic Scale of West Africa’s Digital Market

The regulatory efforts of WATRA are situated within a rapidly expanding economic landscape. The ECOWAS region, which consists of over 400 million people, has a combined nominal GDP estimated between $700 billion and $800 billion. Nigeria represents more than two-thirds of this economic output.

Digital technologies are increasingly central to this growth. Estimates indicate that the digital economy contributes between 4% and 6% of GDP across many African markets. In West Africa specifically, mobile technologies account for approximately 4% to 5% of GDP.

The West African digital market—which encompasses platforms, connectivity services, digital payments, and e-commerce—was estimated to be over $200 billion, with projections placing the value above $216 billion in 2024. This growth is attributed to increased fintech adoption, mobile penetration, and platform-based services.

Several key markets are driving this transformation. Nigeria remains the largest digital economy in the region and a hub for fintech and telecom players. Ghana is noted as a fast-growing hub for financial innovation and digital payments, while Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire are emerging as centers for infrastructure and digital growth.

Future Regulatory Directions

The shift toward emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and digital financial services, has created a need for more adaptive regulatory frameworks. Mr. Aboki noted that forward-looking regulation is particularly necessary in the areas of digital governance, cybersecurity, and data protection.

The recommendations from the Ouagadougou meeting will be presented to the WATRA General Assembly for consideration, and adoption. The organization expressed appreciation to the Government of Burkina Faso and ARCEP Burkina Faso, specifically recognizing the leadership of Executive Secretary Mr. Patrice Compaoré and the Chairman of the Regulatory Council of ARCEP, Dr. Pasteur Poda.

WATRA continues to focus on deepening regional cooperation and implementing harmonized regulatory frameworks to bridge the digital divide and ensure that digital growth leads to broad-based social and economic gains across West Africa.