The curtains have closed on the 2025 West Africa Telecommunications Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition (WATISE), with leaders across government, telecoms, and finance rallying around a single message: West Africa’s digital future depends on unity, policy alignment, and inclusive access.
Hosted at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lagos, the summit, held under the theme “Digitalising West African Economy: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities for Critical Stakeholders”, drew together regional decision-makers to chart the path for growth.
Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), painted a vivid picture of telecoms as the lifeline of West Africa’s digital economy, enabling everything from mobile banking to telemedicine. Yet, he cautioned that progress is threatened by vandalism, over-taxation, and regulatory bottlenecks. He applauded ongoing tax reforms in Nigeria, which aim to slash more than 50 levies by early 2026, urging regional governments to adopt similar measures.
ATCON President, Tony Emoekpere, was forward-looking: “The next decade will define whether West Africa becomes a digital powerhouse or lags behind. If we invest in infrastructure, harmonise regulations, and collaborate, we will unleash jobs, innovation, and global competitiveness.”
Industry innovators brought the theme to life. Dr. Nnenna Achife of AfriGo showcased how local card technology is empowering merchants, enabling offline transactions, and supporting social interventions. Trade Lenda’s Adewunmi Adesina called for collective action to unlock SME growth through digital credit, while CreditRegistry’s Jameelah Sharrieff-Ayedun warned of a looming “digital apartheid” if millions remain excluded from data and credit access.
Panels and fireside chats exposed urgent realities, soaring USSD costs, fragile agent networks, and patchy connectivity. The consensus was clear: digital inclusion cannot be achieved without stronger infrastructure security, affordable transaction channels, and workforce upskilling.
By the close, participants put forward a roadmap: protect telecom assets, align policies across ECOWAS, cut the cost of digital services, deepen cybersecurity, and invest heavily in skills.
Optimism was the prevailing mood as WATISE 2025 ended, with delegates agreeing that West Africa has the people, the talent, and the ambition. What remains is the will to act together and ensure the region claims its stake in the trillion-dollar digital economy.
