West Africa bets on tech innovation to power its economic future 🌍

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A dialogue was organized by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Subregional Office for West Africa (SRO-WA). Held on March 12, the meeting aimed to examine the challenges related to innovation and the use of technological data across the region.

West Africa’s economy in transition 📈

The 58th session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (CoM 2026) was held under the theme: “Growth through innovation: leveraging data and cutting-edge technologies for the economic transformation of West Africa.”

Organized on March 28 in Tangier, Morocco, the event comes at a time when Africa recorded significant economic performance between 2000 and 2019. To sustain this momentum, West African countries are now turning to digital transformation.

In concrete terms, the region aims to rely on next-generation technologies to stimulate growth and foster economic expansion. For the ECA’s Subregional Office for West Africa, this dialogue represents a key lever to energize the regional economy.

Ngone Diop à la CEA

In this context, the Director of the Office, Ngone Diop, stated:

“I am convinced that the discussions held during this dialogue will help identify new pathways to accelerate the adoption and effective use of data and advanced technologies.”

She also emphasized that “these opportunities will be essential to foster economic growth, structural transformation, and sustainable development in West Africa and across the continent.”

A self-assessment of the region’s digital progress 💻

The dialogue also provided an opportunity for government officials and experts to engage in discussions. Beyond public authorities, the meeting brought together members of regional economic communities, intergovernmental organizations, representatives from academia, private sector actors, as well as members of the Network of Economic Journalists for West Africa.

The Chairman of the Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts for West Africa, and Deputy Director of Planning, Policy and Research of Sierra Leone, Joseph Samah, expressed support for the initiative. According to him:

“This dialogue offers a timely platform to assess progress made in digital transformation and innovation in West Africa, share experiences and best practices, and identify policy and regulatory options that can accelerate innovation-driven growth in the region.”

Technological innovation and the strategic use of data are now emerging as essential levers to support growth and strengthen the competitiveness of West African countries.

👉🏾 Can technological innovation truly transform West Africa’s economy in the coming years? What do you think?