By Anthony Emeka Nwosu
The digital economy of West and Central Africa is poised for major growth following the adoption of the Cotonou Declaration 2025 at a landmark Regional Summit on Digital Transformation held earlier this week in Cotonou, Benin.
The high-level meeting brought together Ministers of Digital Economy and Information and Communication Technology from across the region in a first-of-its-kind summit hosted by the Government of the Republic of Benin in partnership with the World Bank. The summit focused on accelerating technology-driven development and strengthening cooperation among African nations in response to the growing importance of digital innovation in economic growth.
Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, described the summit as a critical step toward building a unified, competitive and resilient regional digital economy. He said the leaders at the meeting were driven by a shared commitment to delivering real value to citizens through coordinated digital development strategies.
At the end of the summit, participating countries formally adopted the Cotonou Declaration 2025, a strong political and economic statement of intent designed to speed up digital transformation, deepen cross-border collaboration and drive inclusive growth across West and Central Africa. The declaration reflects a collective resolve to remove long-standing barriers to digital progress and to ensure that technology becomes a tool for economic empowerment rather than exclusion.
The agreement places a strong emphasis on expanding broadband internet infrastructure across the region to make affordable, high-speed connectivity widely available to individuals, businesses and public institutions. Leaders also committed to building secure, integrated and user-friendly digital public services that improve how governments deliver services to citizens while strengthening transparency and efficiency.
A central focus of the declaration is the development of human capital. Governments agreed to invest in digital skills training, particularly for young people, women and persons living with disabilities, in order to prepare the workforce for jobs in the digital economy. The declaration also highlights the importance of strengthening regional capabilities in data management, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, recognising these technologies as essential drivers of economic competitiveness.
In addition, the declaration promotes the growth of African-owned technology innovation and supports the creation of digital jobs across all sectors of the economy. Leaders committed to increasing investment in digital development by mobilising both public and private sector financing, while also working to align policies, cybersecurity standards and data protection laws across countries to enable seamless digital trade and cooperation.
For Nigeria, the declaration represents more than a diplomatic milestone. Dr. Tijani noted that it directly supports the country’s national priorities to expand fibre infrastructure, strengthen digital public systems and deepen investment in talent development. He added that Nigeria is determined to play a leading role in guiding Africa’s transition into a digitally empowered economy.
Regional leaders described the Cotonou Declaration as a turning point that brings Africa closer to establishing a Single African Digital Market built on innovation, trust, connectivity and responsible use of artificial intelligence. With Nigeria recognised as the continent’s largest digital economy, Dr. Tijani reaffirmed the country’s commitment to advancing the declaration through partnerships, sound policy leadership and sustained investment in technology.
Analysts believe the agreement has the potential to unlock large-scale economic growth, create millions of digital jobs and position West and Central Africa as fast-emerging digital hubs in the global economy. They note that the success of the declaration will depend on how effectively countries convert political promises into practical action in the years ahead.
