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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has commenced its 20th Meeting of Ministers in charge of Telecommunications, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), and Digitalization in Freetown.
The proceedings began with an Experts Preparatory Meeting running from 23 to 25 March 2026, setting the stage for the formal Ministerial Meeting on 27 March.
Furthermore, the gathering serves as a critical platform to inform regional Ministers on the progress of programs conducted by the ECOWAS Commission toward the harmonization of the telecommunications and postal sectors.
According to the Ministry of Communication, this year’s assembly brings together over 40 technical experts from 12 Member States and more than 15 representatives from the ECOWAS Commission. They are joined by a powerful coalition of global strategic partners, including the World Bank, GIZ, Smart Africa, and the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), all working toward a unified digital economy.
Representing the host nation, Stevenson Kakpaete Kamanda, Permanent Secretary of MoCTI Sierra Leone, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to ensuring no citizen is left behind. He highlighted that digital technologies have evolved into primary drivers reshaping governance, commerce, and healthcare.
“Sierra Leone is honored to host this meeting. We are committed to fostering innovation and supporting regional efforts that ensure no one is left behind in the digital economy.”
Finally, the engagement focused on the intensive technical work required to unify West Africa’s digital borders. Following the formal adoption of the agenda, experts deliberated on the Revised Supplementary Act on Personal Data Protection, a landmark instrument designed to safeguard citizen information across all 12 Member States.
