The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has urged West African nations to strengthen regional collaboration in building shared digital infrastructure and governance systems to promote economic integration and digital sovereignty across the sub-region.
Abdullahi made the call on Monday during the second West African Digital Governance Forum (WADGov) held in Abuja, which gathered representatives from 15 West African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal.
The forum was jointly organised by the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), and supported by the German Development Agency (GIZ).
According to NITDA, the annual initiative promotes dialogue among West African countries and aims to establish shared standards for regional digital cooperation.
In his keynote address, Abdullahi emphasised that Africa must move beyond adopting technology to designing inclusive and citizen-focused digital ecosystems.
He said, ‘We are grateful to host the second meeting of the West African Digital Governance Forum. Our goal is to use technology to deliver quality services to our citizens, to build trust, and to help them get a delightful experience while consuming government services and other digital offerings.’
He noted that digital services in Africa are often routed through Europe or the U.S., stressing the need for regional ‘digital bridges’ that will enable seamless exchange of data and innovation.
‘Why can’t we build that digital collaboration within ourselves, so we can easily exchange services with our neighbours without routing through other parts of the world?’ he asked.
Abdullahi also underscored the importance of digital sovereignty, stating, ‘Whoever controls your data controls your future. The only way for us to control our economy and our destiny is to control our data and build our own digital infrastructure.’
He highlighted Nigeria’s efforts toward this goal, including the National Digital Literacy Framework, the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, and Project Bridge, which seeks to expand fibre connectivity nationwide.
Also speaking, Arpine Korekyan, Governance and Public Administration Officer at UN DESA, praised Africa’s progress in digital transformation but cautioned against challenges such as affordability gaps and policy fragmentation.
‘Digital transformation must remain human-centred, empowering people, enhancing participation, and leaving no one behind,’ she said.
A GIZ representative, Eva Scholtes, described WADGov as a crucial platform for sustainable partnerships. ‘This transformation is unstoppable, but without good governance, it risks deepening inequalities,’ she warned.
The Director of UNU-EGOV, Prof. Delfina Soares, said the forum forms part of a broader Global Forum on Digital Governance linking Africa and Asia. ‘The question before us is not merely how to digitalise government, but how to govern digitalisation,’ she said.
Launched in 2023, the West African Digital Governance Forum seeks to harmonise policies and foster collaboration on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data sovereignty, infrastructure development, and digital inclusion all seen as vital to the continent’s long-term digital and economic resilience.