The Executive Secretary of WATRA, Engr. Aliyu Yusuf Aboki, attended the annual ECOWAS Digital Observatory (ECODOB) meeting from the 16th to the 17th of May 2024 at Praia, Cabo Verde.
This meeting of the ECODOB National Correspondents for Indicators (NCIs) is within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between WATRA and the ECOWAS Commission, and marks WATRA’s inaugural attendance following the signing of the agreement. This collaboration between organizations seeks to, among other things, improve the ECODOB by enhancing digital infrastructure, data accuracy, and cybersecurity across West Africa.
The primary objective of the meeting was to validate data received from NCIs and review the 2023 digital report on telecommunications, ICT, and postal services. Participants engaged in comprehensive discussions on regional telecommunications trends from 2021 to 2023, Internet subscription metrics, and infrastructure mapping. This included West African submarine and terrestrial fiber cable infrastructure, IXPs, and data centers.
At the meeting, the Executive Secretary delivered a presentation highlighting the importance of accurate and relevant data, proposing collaboration methods based on best practices from ITU and GSMA. Engr. Aboki emphasized WATRA’s commitment to this partnership, stating, “WATRA is dedicated to collaborating with ECOWAS to ensure that our digital infrastructure meets the highest standards. This meeting has been a significant step towards that goal.”
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