WATRA
WATRA works with national telecommunication regulatory authorities in 16 member states in West Africa to promote the adoption of regulations that stimulate investment in telecommunication infrastructure, deliver more affordable communication services to more citizens, enable faster and more secure economic transactions, and facilitate wider and easier access to public services. Together, we work to improve telecommunication sector regulation for economic transformation and social development of all communities in West Africa.
Digital Economy & Telecomms Regulation Trends
WATRA Updates: Governments & Regulatory Authorities
Airtel Africa’s profit climbs 5x as mobile money and data usage explode
Airtel Africa has posted a remarkable 370% year-on-year profit jump for the quarter ended June 2025, buoyed by surging data consumption and the expanding footprint of its mobile-money service across the continent.
Cybersecurity Experts Seek Improvements to Maximise Protection
A study titled “Improving resilience: cybersecurity through system immunity” conducted by Kaspersky, explored how organisations currently manage cybersecurity and how they are preparing for future challenges.
Telcos: How and Why Network Services have Been Poor
Telecommunications operators (telcos) in Nigeria have explained that the recent poor quality of network services experienced across the country is largely due to the widespread vandalism and theft of critical telecom infrastructure, not a failure on their part.
Mobile Money powers Liberia’s gambling revolution
Services like Orange Money are turning phones into instant payment hubs, making digital betting fast and accessible in Liberia. Liberia.- Mobile money is shaking up Liberia’s gambling world, making it easier for players to place bets and handle payments.
Nigeria: NCC presents new regulatory framework to manage telecoms infrastructure
Nigeria aims to achieve 80% internet coverage by 2027. Authorities are making strategic decisions to achieve their goal. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a plan to strengthen governance and regulation of telecom equipment deployment.
Telcos Resume SIM Card Sales after 2-Week Halt
Telecommunications operators have resumed full SIM swap and related services following a four-week nationwide outage linked to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC)’s migration to a new verification platform.
Nigeria: MTN Calls For Recognition Of Telecom Infrastructure As National Assets
Ikenna Ikeme, the General Manager of Regulatory Affairs at MTN Nigeria, has emphasised the need for citizens and officials to regard telecommunications infrastructure as essential national assets, rather than merely as the property of telecom companies.
Liberia Warns of Telecom Duopoly, Pushes for New Market Entrants
A prominent Liberian official, Clarence Massaquoi, voiced strong concerns at a recent Senate hearing regarding the current state of the nation’s telecommunications sector, warning that the dominance of MTN and Orange creates an almost a monopoly scenario.
Côte d’Ivoire’s VITIB Partners with Ynov and Magic System to Boost Youth Digital Skills
At the inaugural edition of the Ivoire Tech Forum 2025, the Village of Information Technology and Biotechnology (VITIB) took a major step forward in its mission to drive digital innovation and technological transformation in Côte d’Ivoire and beyond.
Safaricom fixes years-long router flaw that let users access home fibre for free
Safaricom has fixed a long-standing technical loophole in its Home Fibre network that allowed thousands of customers to access internet service for free or at a heavily discounted rate.
We’re committed to enforcing order on telecom infrastructure – NCC
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the Executive Order criminalising the vandalisation of critical national infrastructure, including telecommunications facilities.
NCC reiterates commitment to protection of Telecom Infrastructure
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has stressed its commitment to the protection of telecommunications infrastructure in the country. Head, Public Affairs at the NCC, Mrs. Nnenna Ukoha, said this during a courtesy visit by the executives of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council to the NCC headquarters in Abuja.
Kyivstar to launch D2C with Starlink in a European first
Ukrainian operator Kyivstar is set to become one of the first European carriers to launch direct-to-cell (D2C) satellite communication services through a partnership with Starlink. In a statement, Kyivstar announced it will begin testing the service with a satellite-powered messaging system, followed by mobile broadband access via satellite.
NITRA, ALTON to Discuss Implementation of CNII Bill
As the telecoms industry grapples with the challenge of how to secure its infrastructure and ensure that investments in the telecoms space are protected, following the recent Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) status granted it by the federal government, the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) has called for an all-stakeholder approach.
Vodacom clears key hurdle in Maziv fibre stake deal
Vodacom Group has received the green light from South Africa’s competition watchdog to acquire a stake in fibre infrastructure provider Maziv, a move that supports the operator’s ambition to expand connectivity in underserved areas.
FibreOne vs Spectranet: How ‘Unlimited’ Is Unlimited?
Let’s take a look at some companies in charge of this space; FibreOne and Spectranet, two giants of Nigeria’s ISP sector with radically different philosophies. One is building a fixed fibre network from the ground up, the other is surfing the LTE airwaves with mobile routers and data caps.
MTN, Huawei launch first 800G optical network in Nigeria
MTN Nigeria, working together with Huawei, launched the country’s first hybrid 400G-800G Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON). This collaboration represents a watershed moment in the architecture of Nigeria’s digital backbone, enabling remarkable transmission speeds and resilience in the face of growing data demand.
NCC Opens Licensing for International A2P Messaging Aggregator Services in Nigeria
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has officially launched a new licensing framework for International Application-to-Person (A2P) Messaging Aggregator Services, aimed at strengthening regulatory oversight, service security, and quality in the delivery of international A2P messaging traffic into Nigeria.
Telecom analyst advocates unified RoW charges
The Federal Government has been urged to harmonise right-of-way charges across the country and incentivise local production of telecom equipment to drive broadband expansion and prepare Nigeria for the digital decade.
Starlink, FiberOne, others lose over 18,000 customers in 6 months
More than 18,000 people in Nigeria ditched their Internet service providers (ISPs) in the past six months, as rising prices and service concerns triggered widespread cancellations.
WATRA Updates: Governments & Regulatory Authorities
Regulatory Policy Developments
July 22, 2025
Regulatory Policy Developments
April 11, 2025
Regulatory Policy Developments
February 27, 2025
ABOUT WATRA
WATRA was established in 2002 as a result of the need for a common platform for the telecommunications and ICT regulators in the West African region to exchange information, share best practices, and coordinate their actions.
WATRA operates under the legal framework of the ECOWAS Treaty, the Supplementary Act on Telecommunications and ICT, the Protocol on the Establishment of WATRA, and the Constitution and Rules of Procedure of WATRA.
WATRA MEMBERS
