WATRA, the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly, recently unveiled its ambitious roadmap for the future of telecommunications in the region, highlighting a multifaceted strategy that addresses governance, digital inclusion, and regional cooperation. The organisation aims to strengthen its governance framework and enhance member engagement, setting the stage for significant reforms in its institutional structures. These reforms are designed to establish clearer protocols and more effective communication channels, ensuring a cohesive and unified approach to telecommunications regulation in the region. Achieving this will enable telecommunications regulations authorities in the region to create economies and communities in which individuals, enterprises, and public authorities are more productive and generate greater prosperity and welfare because wider access to affordable telecommunications services enables them to do more.
Bridging the Digital Divide
One of the cornerstone initiatives in WATRA's plan is to extend connectivity to rural and remote areas, a critical step towards bridging the digital divide. Despite widespread mobile internet coverage, actual usage remains low, with significant disparities in access, particularly among women and marginalized communities. Aliyu Aboki, the Executive Secretary of WATRA, emphasised the importance of addressing these issues, stating, "We must ensure that the digital revolution reaches everyone, regardless of gender, location, or socio-economic status. Our goal is to empower communities through accessible and affordable internet services."
WATRA is committed to addressing these disparities through targeted policies and programs that promote digital literacy, affordability, and accessibility. This approach includes efforts to integrate digital skills into education systems, support local content creation, and facilitate entrepreneurial ventures that leverage digital technologies.
Broadband internet adoption remains limited, with a significant portion of the population still without access. Additionally, the digital gender gap continues to be a critical issue, limiting the potential of women to use telecommunications for the economic activities they are engaged in and become more productive.
WATRA's strategy to address these challenges is to promote the adoption and harmonisation of efficient and innovative harmonisation of telecommunications regulations in West Africa through dialogue, collaboration, capacity building, and partnerships; these regulations stimulate investment in infrastructure development and bring about more affordable access to good quality services, thereby fostering an environment conducive to innovation and productivity. By advocating for fair competition and consumer protection, WATRA aims to create a more inclusive and robust digital economy.
The digital economy represents a transformative force in West Africa, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation, job creation, and economic growth. WATRA's proactive approach to addressing digital inclusion barriers and promoting a supportive regulatory environment is critical for sustaining this growth. The focus on infrastructure and gender inclusivity highlights the organisation's commitment to ensuring that the benefits of the digital economy are accessible to all.
Advancing Regional Cooperation and Digital Transformation of the West African Economy
Under Aliyu Aboki, the Executive Secretary of WATRA, the organisation has undergone extensive internal institutional development to ensure that it can drive the coordination, collaboration, and partnerships amongst regional telecommunications policy and regulatory authorities and external partners to bring about the digital transformation of West African economies.
WATRA's digital transformation strategy involves the digitisation of records and the development of a GIS web-based platform to enhance decision-making and policy development.
A key achievement has been the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ECOWAS, aimed at creating a unified roaming regulation framework across West Africa. The MOU sets the stage for a unified roaming regulation framework across West Africa, facilitating seamless connectivity and reducing costs for consumers and businesses. This initiative not only aligns with global trends towards greater regional integration but also positions West Africa as a forward-thinking bloc in the global digital economy.
WATRA's digital transformation agenda reflects a broader trend in economies around the world towards increased automation, data-driven decision-making, and faster, more cost-efficient enhanced service delivery. By embracing and working together to adopt these changes, telecommunications regulators in West Africa are ensuring that the region is not left behind in adopting the digital economy revolution to boost investment and productivity and create prosperity and better livelihoods. For this transformation, it is crucial to foster a competitive, fair, and innovative telecommunications environment in West Africa.
Aliyu Aboki commented on the importance of the MOU and collaboration on telecommunications regulation and policy in the region: "The MoU with ECOWAS is a landmark agreement that not only simplifies regional connectivity but also sets a precedent for future regulatory harmonization. This is a crucial step towards a more integrated and competitive telecom market in West Africa."
Reflecting on challenges and celebrating achievements
The organisation also took the opportunity to reflect on past challenges, such as limited communication among member states and a need for a stronger institutional framework. Despite these challenges, WATRA has made substantial progress, including the successful implementation of its 2022-2025 strategic plan, which has resulted in a more robust operational model and improved financial stability. The restructuring of membership dues, which led to a 30% increase in revenue, has been instrumental in stabilising WATRA's financial position and enabling the clearance of longstanding dues.
Pokima Ebuna, Director of Strategy at WATRA, highlighted the lessons learned from these challenges: "Our experiences have underscored the importance of clear communication and a strong institutional foundation. We are now better positioned to serve our member states and advance the region's telecom sector."
The organisation successfully implemented its 2022-2025 strategic plan, enhancing its operating model, establishing pioneering working groups, and initiating a digital transformation project. These efforts included digitising records, streamlining internal processes, and boosting the organisation's external digital presence.
Rufus Samuel, WATRA's Principal Manager, said that the organisation has over two years achieved tremendous institutional strengthening and is much better poised to work with members in significantly increasing their capacity to leverage smarter telecommunications regulations to create greater economic opportunities for people in all West African communities.
The WATRA Working Groups are:
Working Group One (WG 1): Consumer Access & Experience
Working Group Two (WG 2): Infrastructure Development
Working Group Three (WG 3): CyberSecurity
The WATRA Working Groups play a crucial role in harmonising telecommunications regulations across West Africa. These groups assess the current handling of selected topics at national and regional levels, drawing on global best practices from organisations like the ITU and ATU. They identify gaps and propose improvements to ensure a unified regulatory framework. Each year, the groups submit detailed progress reports on their findings and recommendations. Additionally, they advise on emerging issues as directed by the Conference of Regulators and the Executive Committee, ensuring that the region remains responsive to evolving technological and regulatory landscapes.
A landmark achievement was the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ECOWAS, which facilitated the development of innovative roaming regulation frameworks. This MoU also revitalised relationships with countries like Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau, which had seen reduced activity for nearly a decade.
WATRA has also strengthened collaborations with international partners such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the African Telecommunications Union (ATU), which has further enhanced WATRA's collective impact and regional engagement.
The Role of Telecommunications in the Digital Economy
Telecommunications play a vital role in the growth of West Africa's digital economy, contributing significantly to GDP and supporting a vibrant startup ecosystem. WATRA emphasised the importance of regulatory harmonisation, infrastructure development, and fair competition in fostering a dynamic and inclusive digital economy. The organisation's efforts to address the digital gender gap and promote broadband adoption are key components of its strategy to ensure that all citizens can benefit from the opportunities provided by digital technologies.
Future directions and collaborative efforts
Looking forward, WATRA is focused on strengthening its governance framework and fostering greater collaboration with international organisations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the African Telecommunications Union (ATU). These partnerships are crucial for leveraging global best practices and resources, which will help advance WATRA's mission and support sustainable development in the region.
The Mandate of WATRA: Harmonising Telecommunications for Growth
WATRA's mandate is to coordinate the adoption and harmonisation of efficient telecommunication regulations that stimulate investment, widen access to telecommunications services, and promote the use of telecommunications by small businesses, individuals, corporations, and governments at all levels to create economic opportunities and prosperity for and improve welfare in communities across West Africa. This coordination is crucial for several reasons:
Stimulating Investment: Harmonised regulations create a predictable and stable environment for investors. By reducing regulatory discrepancies between countries, WATRA lowers the barriers to entry for new investors and businesses, fostering a competitive market landscape. This investment is critical for expanding infrastructure, such as broadband networks, which are essential for connecting underserved areas.
Widening Access to Services: Coordinated regulatory frameworks help standardise service quality and pricing, making telecommunications services more accessible and affordable to a broader segment of the population. This increased access is particularly vital in rural and remote areas, where connectivity can drive social inclusion and economic opportunities.
Advancing the Digital Economy: A harmonised telecoms environment supports the growth of the digital economy by providing a foundation for innovation and entrepreneurship. Standardised regulations facilitate the development of digital services and platforms, which can operate seamlessly across borders, thus expanding market reach and consumer choice.
Helping Businesses Grow: For businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), harmonised regulations simplify compliance and reduce costs associated with navigating multiple regulatory landscapes. This ease of doing business encourages the growth of local startups and attracts international companies, further boosting the region's economic prospects.
Reducing Poverty: By fostering a more inclusive digital economy and improving access to telecommunications, WATRA plays a crucial role in reducing poverty. Enhanced connectivity can improve education, healthcare, and financial services, empowering individuals and communities to improve their livelihoods and participate more fully in the economy.
WATRA's strategy underscores the importance of a collaborative approach to enhancing telecommunications regulations and policy and thus fostering the investment and innovation required to deliver the vast social and economic benefits of the digital economy to individuals and communities in all corners of West Africa.
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