Publications
WEST AFRICA TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORS ASSOCIATION (WATRA)
REVISED CONSTITUTION
[Bamako 2023]
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Strategic plan 2022-2025 for the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly
26 August 2022
Reference: WAGM20/CR/23/D06
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Final Report of the Cybersecurity Working Group
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
Report of the WATRA Working Group on Infrastructure Development (2023–2025)
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
Recommendations for Submarine Cable Resilience in West Africa
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)
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
BILATERAL MOU MATRIX
|
40 out of 210
|
Benin (ARCEP)
 |
Burkina Faso (ARCEP)
 |
Cabo Verde (ARME)
 |
Côte d’Ivoire (ARTCI)
 |
The Gambia (PURA)
 |
Ghana (NCA)
 |
Guinea (ARPT)
 |
Guinea Bissau (ARN)
 |
Liberia (LTA)
 |
Mali (AMRTP)
 |
Niger (ARCEP)
 |
Nigeria (NCC)
 |
Senegal (ARTP)
 |
Sierra Leone (NatCA)
 |
Togo (ARCEP)
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Benin (ARCEP) |
N/A |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
Y |
|
Burkina Faso (ARCEP) |
N |
N/A |
N |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
|
Cabo Verde (ARME) |
N |
N |
N/A |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
|
Côte d’Ivoire (ARTCI) |
N |
Y |
N |
N/A |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
The Gambia (PURA) |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
N/A |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
|
Ghana (NCA) |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
N/A |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
|
Guinea (ARPT) |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N/A |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
|
Guinea Bissau (ARN) |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N/A |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
|
Liberia (LTA) |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
N/A |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
|
Mali (AMRTP) |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N/A |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
Y |
|
Niger (ARCEP) |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N/A |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
|
Nigeria (NCC) |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N/A |
N |
N |
N |
|
Senegal (ARTP) |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
N/A |
N |
Y |
|
Sierra Leone (NatCA) |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
N |
N/A |
N |
|
Togo (ARCEP) |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
N |
N/A |
Bénin - Mali
Bénin - Togo
Côte d'Ivoire - Burkina Faso
Ghana - Côte d'Ivoire
Ghana - Togo
Togo - Mali
Côte d'Ivoire - Togo
Côte d'Ivoire - Senegal
Côte d'Ivoire - Mali
The Gambia - Sierra Leone
Ghana - Bénin
Liberia - Sierra Leone
Côte d'Ivoire - The Gambia
Liberia - The Gambia
Côte d'Ivoire - Sierra Leone
The Gambia - Ghana
Côte d'Ivoire - Liberia
Togo - Burkina Faso
Togo - Niger
Ghana - Burkina Faso
Benin - Senegal
Côte d'Ivoire - Senegal
The Gambia - Senegal
Mali - Senegal