The West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), which as its name implies, brings together the region’s telecommunications and ICT regulators, is apparently hoping to encourage infrastructure sharing to lower the cost of internet access in West Africa. However, as Aboki pointed out, lack of interconnectivity is another issue driving up the cost of telecom services in the sub-region. As online resource Nairametrics notes, increasing internet penetration, mobile connectivity, and a tech-savvy youth population have led to rapid growth in West Africa’s digital economy. WATRA figures suggest that the digital economy currently contributes around US$30 billion annually to the region’s GDP. However, the cost of internet access across West African countries is still high.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 17, 2024 19:20 UTC