WATRA Pushes for Harmonised Digital Market to Attract Billions in West African Investments
The West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) has called on ECOWAS member states to harmonise digital regulations to unlock billions of dollars in investments across the region. This call was made by WATRA’s Executive Secretary, Aliyu Aboki, during the third Working Group meeting held in Accra, Ghana.
Aboki highlighted that regulatory harmonisation is key to transforming fragmented national markets into one large, investable digital ecosystem. According to him, “Regulatory harmonisation is a game changer. It allows regional tech champions to emerge, reduces costs for consumers, and fosters robust and secure digital systems.”
Scaling Digital Growth for a 400-Million-Person Market
West Africa, with over 400 million people, is currently hindered by diverse national ICT policies. Varying licensing regimes, consumer protection rules, and spectrum regulations significantly drive up compliance costs and limit the ability of companies—such as telecom operators, fintech firms, and digital platforms, to scale across borders.
WATRA believes that creating a Single Digital Market (SDM) will enable companies to expand more efficiently, while providing affordable and reliable digital services across ECOWAS. “WATRA is laying the foundation for a seamless regional market where innovation and investment can thrive,” Aboki said.
Strategic Focus on Three Pillars: Experience, Infrastructure, Cybersecurity
At the Accra session, hosted by Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA), WATRA brought together telecom regulators, tech stakeholders, and policy experts to create practical regulatory frameworks in three key areas:
- Consumer Access & Experience: Developing unified service standards to build trust and increase digital adoption.
- Infrastructure Development: Harmonising policies on spectrum allocation, satellite use, and fibre deployment to boost broadband investment.
- Cybersecurity: Establishing consistent security standards to safeguard users and strengthen investor confidence in digital platforms.
“These working groups are where vision meets implementation,” said Aboki. “They are producing home-grown regulatory blueprints that nations can adopt.”
The Untapped Power of West Africa’s Telecom Sector
With over 250 million mobile subscribers and 120 million internet users, West Africa’s telecom sector is vital to economic growth, governance, and education. For instance, Nigeria’s ICT sector now contributes nearly 15% to its GDP.
However, the lack of harmonised digital regulations continues to limit cross-border integration and stifles potential in key areas such as:
- Regional e-commerce
- Digital financial inclusion
- Data centre development
- Seamless mobile roaming
Path Forward: Policy Alignment for Regional Digital Transformation
WATRA confirmed that outcomes from the Accra working sessions will be refined and presented at the next Conference of Regulators for formal adoption.
Under the leadership of Executive Secretary Aliyu Aboki, WATRA is positioning itself as a major catalyst for West Africa’s digital transformation, working toward a safer, more integrated, and inclusive digital economy.
As digital infrastructure expands and regulations align, WATRA believes the region is poised to become a leading hub for tech innovation and investment in Africa.
