Working Groups

Referencing Resolution AGA20/CR/23/R06, the following are the agreed 2023 Working Groups of WATRA:

Working Group One (WG 1) – Consumer Access & Experience
Working Group Two (WG 2) – Infrastructure Development
Working Group Three (WG 3) – CyberSecurity

In recent years, regulation witnessed a shift to more holistic and comprehensive frameworks that require a problem-solving attitude and involvement of new players in a more collaborative, multi-sectoral, forward-looking, and cross-border approach to meet expectations of this dynamic sector, the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) through Resolution AGA20/CR/23/R06 (Adoption of the 2023 Annual Plan/Program of Activities of WATRA) approved the establishment of three (3) Working Groups to address critical regulatory issues in the sub-region. These Working Groups will focus on Infrastructure Development, Consumer Access and Experience, and Cybersecurity. The purpose of this document is to outline each working group’s objectives, responsibilities, and composition.

Rationale for setting-up Working Groups (WG) for West African Regulators

Within the framework of implementation of the 2022-2025 WATRA Strategic Plan, that promotes collaboration amongst WATRA members and key stakeholders, the Conference of Regulators approved the creation of working groups to serve as a major platform for the exchange of ideas, views and experiences among members and key stakeholders on all aspects of laws and regulations within the electronic communications’ sector. The Working Groups will be a platform for discussions, exchange of ideas and coordination between WATRA members, ECOWAS Commission, Private Telecoms Operators and Service Providers, Academia, and other key stakeholders; and will also play an advisory role to the Conference of Regulators and the Executive Committee on regulatory issues.

The WGs comprise of regulators from National Regulatory Authorities of ECOWAS and Mauritania.

Observers which include private telecoms operators and service providers, academia, consumer associations and other key stakeholders can participate in the meetings without voting rights and may not participate in closed sessions. In warranted cases and for a particular endeavour, the group may be assisted by a consultant or consultants. The hiring of the consultant(s) and Terms of Reference thereof shall be done by the group. The group would supervise the consultant(s) including reviewing their work for acceptance and hence compensation/payment purposes.

The WGs may also seek advice or request guidance from experts and specialists in the area covered by the group either from private sector, civil society, or academia. In this regard, experts may be invited and participate in the meetings without voting rights and may not participate in closed sessions.

The mandate of the Bureau of Working Groups shall be two years and the leadership of the WGs shall be rotated among members.

The Working Groups shall:

Assess the way the 3 selected topics are addressed in West Africa both at national and regional levels;
Explore experiences of countries and organisation within and outside Africa such as CRASA, EACO, FRATEL, CTO, ATU, ITU etc;
Identify gaps and areas of improvements to achieve harmonized approach across West Africa;
Propose recommendations and key actions to enhance regulatory practices for each topic;
Prepare and submit annual status/progress reports which will detail the results of the work of each Working Group;
Address and advise on any new topic that may be proposed by the Conference of Regulators and the Executive Committee.

The objectives of the WATRA Working Groups are as follows:

Consumer Access and Experience Working Group:

Enhance consumer access to affordable and reliable telecommunications services in West Africa.
Improve the overall quality of consumer experience regarding service availability, affordability, and customer support in the sub-region.
Develop guidelines and recommendations to protect consumer rights and promote fair competition among service providers.
Focus on enhancing consumer access to affordable, reliable, and quality telecommunications services in West Africa.
Identify and address consumer-related issues, including affordability, service quality, availability, and digital inclusion.
Develop guidelines and best practices to ensure consumer protection, fair competition, and effective complaint resolution mechanisms.
Collaborate with industry stakeholders to improve the overall consumer experience in the telecommunications sector.

Infrastructure Development Working Group:

Identify and address challenges related to developing and deploying telecommunications infrastructure in West Africa.
Promote the adoption of policies and regulations that encourage investment in and expansion of telecommunications infrastructure within the sub-region.
Foster collaboration among WATRA members to facilitate sharing of best practices and knowledge in infrastructure development.
Identify and promote strategies to enhance telecommunications infrastructure development in West Africa.
Facilitate collaboration among WATRA members to address infrastructure challenges, including network coverage, broadband connectivity, and capacity building.
Develop recommendations for the harmonization of infrastructure policies and regulations across member countries.
Support the implementation of innovative technologies and initiatives to improve infrastructure deployment and utilization in West Africa.

Cybersecurity Working Group:

Address cybersecurity challenges and threats in the telecommunications sector, including data protection, privacy, and network security.
Develop strategies and guidelines to strengthen the cybersecurity capabilities of WATRA members.
Foster cooperation and information sharing among member countries to enhance cybersecurity resilience in the sub-region.
Address cybersecurity challenges in the West African telecommunications sector and promote a secure digital environment.
Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to develop cybersecurity and data protection policies, regulations, and best practices.
Facilitate information sharing on emerging cyber threats and vulnerabilities, and coordinate response and mitigation efforts.
Support capacity-building initiatives to enhance cybersecurity capabilities among WATRA members.

The working languages of the WGs shall be English and French.

Statements made in any of working languages shall be interpreted into the other working languages.

All reports and working documents of the WGs shall be translated into the two English and French.

The final reports of the working groups shall be translated into English, French and Portuese.

WATRA Secretariat shall serve as the Secretariat of the Working Groups and shall provide admin support and technical expertise to guide WG’s decision-making and follow-up on the organization of meetings. This includes the accurate recording of proceedings at Working Groups meetings as well as the timely distribution of documentation between meetings.

Working Group Reports

Browse reports, recommendations and publications developed by WATRA Working Groups.

Final Report of the Cybersecurity Working Group

Published: May 25, 2026

Securing West Africa’s digital future.

Description

This final report (2023–2025) from WATRA’s Cybersecurity Working Group addresses the rising cyber threats facing West Africa’s telecom sector, including phishing, ransomware, DDoS attacks, SS7 vulnerabilities, and mobile fraud. Key recommendations include adopting a harmonized regional regulatory framework, creating a Regional Cyber Threat Information Sharing Platform (PRSIC-WATRA), establishing interconnected national CERTs/CSIRTs, launching a regional training program, organizing annual cyber drills, and developing a Regional Centre of Excellence. The report provides short-term (2026–2027) and medium-term (2026–2029) action plans to strengthen collective cyber resilience across Member States.

Chairperson / Members

Co-Chairs:
Prince Reggie Ankrah (NCA Ghana)
Mohamadou ZAROU (AMRTP Mali)

Rapporteurs
Nii Oko Collison (NCA Ghana)
Isaac Kobina Kwarko (NCA Ghana)
GNAHORE Flavie Sandrine épse Akissi (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)

Members
MAGNONFINON Amos (ARCEP Bénin)
M. Yassia SAVADOGO (ARCEP Burkina Faso)
TANOH Beugre Jacques DCNS (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
BILE Michaël (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
Mamady Fofana (ARPT Guinée)
Mamady Kaba (ARPT Guinée)
Sidiki Boubacar DOUMBIA (AMRTP Mali)
Mr. Muktar Yahuza (NCC Nigeria)
Mr. Abdulkadir Indabawa (NCC Nigeria)
BAGOLIBE Kanlanfei Damnam (ARCEP Togo)

Meeting Information

Meeting Details
Focus: Securing West Africa’s Digital Ecosystem
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Date: 30th of March to the 2nd of April 2026

View English PDF →

View French PDF →

Report of the WATRA Working Group on Infrastructure Development (2023–2025)

Published: May 25, 2026

Laying the foundation for West Africa’s digital transformation.

Description

This report summarizes the two-year work (2023–2025) of the WATRA Working Group on Infrastructure Development (WG2), co-chaired by Nigeria and Senegal across four physical meetings. Key outputs include: 5G Deployment Guidelines, an NGSO Framework, Submarine Cable Resilience recommendations (following the March 2024 multi-country cable cuts), WRC-27 preparatory guidance, and Infrastructure Financing strategies. Outstanding work items deferred to 2026–2028 include a Unified Reporting Framework for terrestrial infrastructure and Harmonised QoS Regulations. The Group also delivered capacity-building sessions with partners including GSMA, ITU, Amazon Kuiper, and Nokia.

Chairperson / Members

Co-Chairs:
Engr. Joseph Emeshili (NCC Nigeria)
Ndiaye DIOUF (ARTP Senegal)

Rapporteurs
KONATE ZANA GASTON (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
Kwame Baafuor Osei-Akoto (NCA Ghana)

Members
KOUDJANGNIHOUE Fortune Arnaud (ARCEP Bénin)
BOKO Luc (ARCEP Bénin)
Lamoussa Stéphane YAMEOGO (ARCEP Burkina Faso)
ABIALE KOUTOUAN (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
KOUAKOU Guy-Michel (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
LASME PAULE RENEE (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
Ebrima Jammeh (Gamtel The Gambia)
Seedy Ceesay (Gamtel The Gambia)
Yaw Boamah Baafi (NCA Ghana)
Noumouke CONDE (SOGEB Guinée)
Mohamed Maimouna CAMARA (GUILAB Guinée)
Mohamed Lamine DIALLO (GUILAB Guinée)
Djouma TRAORE (GFO Guinée)
Ibrahima KAKE (ARPT Guinée)
Mohamed Kéita (ARPT Guinée)
Alhassane Diallo (ARPT Guinée)
Marco Lawan Vieira Có (ARN Guiné Bissau)
Issiaka ALHABIBOU (AMRTP Mali)
Ibrahim A. MAIGA (AMRTP Mali)
Bintou SOUMARE (AMRTP Mali)
Massaoudou TAHIROU (ARCEP Niger)
Barèrèm-Mêlgueba MAO (ARCEP Togo)

Meeting Information

Meeting Details
Focus: Securing West Africa’s Digital Ecosystem
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Date: 30th of March to the 2nd of April 2026

View English PDF →

View French PDF →

Recommendations for Submarine Cable Resilience in West Africa

Published: May 25, 2026

Protecting West Africa’s digital lifelines beneath the sea.

Description

Following the March 2024 cable cuts that caused outages across 12 African countries, this report outlines recommendations to improve submarine cable resilience in West Africa, where 12 cable systems with 37 landing points provide over 613 Terabytes of capacity. With 85% of cable failures caused by human activity (fishing, anchoring), the report urges WATRA to promote stakeholder dialogue and database development, while encouraging Administrations to conduct national engagements, interconnect landing stations via terrestrial mesh fiber, address security concerns, expedite permits, and establish more Internet Exchange Points.

Chairperson / Members

Co-Chairs:
Engr. Joseph Emeshili (NCC Nigeria)
Ndiaye DIOUF (ARTP Senegal)

Rapporteurs
KONATE ZANA GASTON (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
Kwame Baafuor Osei-Akoto (NCA Ghana)

Meeting Information

Meeting Details
Focus: Securing West Africa’s Digital Ecosystem
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Date: 30th of March to the 2nd of April 2026

View English PDF →

View French PDF →

Preparations for the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference (Wrc-27)

Published: May 25, 2026

Shaping global spectrum decisions to secure West Africa’s digital future.

Description

This report emphasizes the strategic importance of the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27) in Shanghai for West African countries, covering key implications such as spectrum access equity, satellite-terrestrial convergence, digital inclusion, and regulatory sovereignty. It recommends active participation in the preparatory cycle, development of coordinated regional positions through ATU, capacity building, and elevating WRC engagement as a national strategic priority to avoid risks of limited spectrum access and reduced competitiveness.

Chairperson / Members

Co-Chairs:
Engr. Joseph Emeshili (NCC Nigeria)
Ndiaye DIOUF (ARTP Senegal)

Rapporteurs
KONATE ZANA GASTON (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
Kwame Baafuor Osei-Akoto (NCA Ghana)

Meeting Information

Meeting Details
Focus: Securing West Africa’s Digital Ecosystem
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Date: 30th of March to the 2nd of April 2026

View English PDF →

View French PDF →

Outstanding Work Items for the Next Study Cycle

Published: May 25, 2026

Building a connected West Africa through unified standards.

Description

This WATRA report outlines two key initiatives deferred to the 2026–2028 study cycle: a Unified Reporting Framework for terrestrial fibre and tower infrastructure (based on international standards like OFDS and OTD) and Harmonised Quality of Service Regulations for telecom services across ECOWAS, including common KPIs and measurement methodologies.

Chairperson / Members

Co-Chairs:
Engr. Joseph Emeshili (NCC Nigeria)
Ndiaye DIOUF (ARTP Senegal)

Rapporteurs
KONATE ZANA GASTON (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
Kwame Baafuor Osei-Akoto (NCA Ghana)

Meeting Information

Meeting Details
Focus: Securing West Africa’s Digital Ecosystem
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Date: 30th of March to the 2nd of April 2026

View English PDF →

View French PDF →

Financing of Electronic Communications Infrastructure

Published: May 25, 2026

Bridging the digital divide through smart infrastructure financing.

Description

This report examines funding challenges and solutions for building telecom infrastructure across West Africa. Key issues include high costs (over $10,000/km for fiber), rural connectivity gaps, and unsustainable business models. Funding sources covered: public budgets, Universal Service Funds, private investment, PPPs, international partners (World Bank, AfDB), and innovative options like green bonds. Recommendations include regulatory harmonization, infrastructure sharing, stronger PPP frameworks, and better governance to attract sustainable investment.

Chairperson / Members

Co-Chairs:
Engr. Joseph Emeshili (NCC Nigeria)
Ndiaye DIOUF (ARTP Senegal)

Rapporteurs
KONATE ZANA GASTON (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
Kwame Baafuor Osei-Akoto (NCA Ghana)

Meeting Information

Meeting Details
Focus: Securing West Africa’s Digital Ecosystem
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Date: 30th of March to the 2nd of April 2026

View English PDF →

View French PDF →

Guideline for Harmonizing Awareness and Education of Telecommunications Service Users-West Africa

Published: May 20, 2026

Empowering telecom consumers across West Africa through awareness, education, and protection.

Description

The guidelines aim to harmonize approaches among National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) in educating, informing, and protecting consumers while strengthening trust between users, regulators, and service providers.

The document emphasizes consumer empowerment, digital inclusion, and responsible use of telecommunications services through awareness campaigns, community engagement, online learning platforms, and improved complaint management systems. It also highlights the role of NRAs in safeguarding consumer interests, supporting consumer associations, monitoring service quality, and disseminating relevant sector information.

The guidelines are based on experiences and best practices from WATRA member states, including initiatives such as consumer awareness programs, telecommunications consumer forums, radio engagement platforms, and digital communication channels. Examples from regulators like Nigeria’s NCC and The Gambia’s PURA demonstrate effective multi-channel consumer engagement models using physical outreach, radio, social media, portals, and short codes for complaints and consumer protection services.

Finally, the document recommends strengthening consumer rights protection through easier access to complaint and legal mechanisms, enhanced communication on referral processes, and the establishment of unified customer service systems for digital service users across the region.

Chairperson / Members

Co-Chairs:
KOUHON DEROU (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
Mavis Obeng Aidoo (NCA Ghana)

Rapporteurs
Mme Coumba Diouf GUEYE (ARTP Sénégal)
Elaine Brew (NCA Ghana)

Members
ATINSOUNON Christel Armand (ARCEP Benin)
ATCHEDO GANSOU Firmine (ARCEP Benin)
KOUADIO Ahoussou Stephan (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
DAGBO Lohoré Eric (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
Kabinè Kaba (ARPT Guinée)
Saran KEITA (ARPT Guinée)
Mr. Abubakar Y. Bawa (NCC Nigeria)
GNOGNO Adzwavi Massan (ARCEP Togo)

Meeting Information

Meeting Details
Focus: Securing West Africa’s Digital Ecosystem
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Date: 30th of March to the 2nd of April 2026

View English PDF →

View French PDF →

5G Deployment Framework

Published: May 19, 2026

Powering Connectivity Across West Africa

Description

This document provides policy and regulatory guidance for West African countries on deploying 5G technology. It outlines the status of 5G across the region—where Nigeria and Senegal lead with commercial services, while most others are still in trial or planning phases—and recommends actions on spectrum management, infrastructure sharing, backhaul development, and flexible regulations to enable cost-effective, secure, and inclusive 5G rollout.

Chairperson / Members

Co-Chairs:
Engr. Joseph Emeshili (NCC Nigeria)
Ndiaye DIOUF (ARTP Senegal)

Rapporteurs
KONATE ZANA GASTON (ARTCI Côte d’Ivoire)
Kwame Baafuor Osei-Akoto (NCA Ghana)

Meeting Information

Meeting Details
Focus: Securing West Africa’s Digital Ecosystem
Location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
Date: 30th of March to the 2nd of April 2026

View English PDF →

View French PDF →

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Working Groups

Working Group Reports

Final Report of the Cybersecurity Working Group

Report of the WATRA Working Group on Infrastructure Development (2023–2025)

Recommendations for Submarine Cable Resilience in West Africa

Preparations for the 2027 World Radiocommunication Conference (Wrc-27)

Outstanding Work Items for the Next Study Cycle

Financing of Electronic Communications Infrastructure

Guideline for Harmonizing Awareness and Education of Telecommunications Service Users-West Africa

5G Deployment Framework

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