The Togolese capital is hosting, from April 20 to 24, 2026, the 23rd Annual General Assembly of the West African Telecommunications Regulators Association (ARTAO/WATRA). On the sidelines of this statutory meeting, the first day was marked by a high-level dialogue bringing together regulators, operators, international partners and consumer representatives around the crucial challenges of digital transformation.
In his welcome address, the Director General of the Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP Togo), Michel Galley, highlighted the strategic role of telecommunications and digital technologies, presented as drivers of innovation, inclusion and competitiveness for the region. He stressed the need to adapt regulatory frameworks to a rapidly changing environment, marked by sector convergence.
The President of WATRA and Chairman of ARN of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Dr. Herry Mané, for his part recalled that digital transformation is now a necessity for West African economies. He called for strengthened cooperation between public and private stakeholders to address challenges related to connectivity, financial inclusion and consumer protection.
A roundtable at the heart of the issues: Towards collaborative regulation
The roundtable dedicated to the theme: “Collaborative regulation in the era of convergence: industry perspectives on opportunities and challenges related to digital financial services” provided an opportunity to gather insights from the various ecosystem players.
Introducing the discussions, Ms. Rouamba Illy, Technical Advisor at ARCEP Burkina Faso, highlighted the growing complexity of digital financial services (DFS), now at the intersection of telecommunications, finance, technology and data protection. She raised the central question: how to effectively regulate such an interconnected ecosystem while fostering innovation and inclusion?
Ghana as a model for securing digital financial services
The representative of Ghana shared his country’s experie nce, presented as a regional leader in mobile money. With more than 80 million registered accounts and a transaction volume reaching 289 billion dollars, Ghana relies on a structured approach based on international recommendations.
At the core of this strategy is the establishment of a national digital financial services security laboratory, designed to test applications, anticipate threats (fraud, SIM swap, network vulnerabilities) and strengthen user confidence. Close collaboration between the Central Bank, the communications regulatory authority and cybersecurity agencies forms the foundation of this model.
Operators in favor of regulatory harmonization
Representatives of operators, particularly in mobile money, represented by Ms. Simi Siwisa, advocated for a clarification of roles between regulators and the harmonization of regulatory frameworks. According to them, the coexistence of multiple supervisory authorities constitutes a barrier to innovation and service expansion.
They emphasized the need to reduce regulatory frictions in order to unlock the economic and social potential of digital financial services in the region.
The ITU calls for a coordinated regional response
Speaking on behalf of international partners, the representative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Mr. Arnold Kibuuka, recalled that digital financial services are based on two inseparable pillars: telecom infrastructures and financial platforms.
Faced with growing threats (cyberattacks, cross-border fraud), he advocated for a harmonized regional response based on common standards, information sharing and the strengthening of technical capacities. The ITU notably offers regulatory frameworks and operational tools to support States in this transition.
Consumers demand more protection and clarity
The voice of consumers, carried by Dr. Emmanuel Sogadji, highlighted several major concerns. He pointed to the persistent lack of clarity in complaint management between regulators and central banks, transaction fees deemed high, and insufficient tariff regulation.
He called for better institutional coordination to prevent users from being penalized by overlapping responsibilities.
Interoperability and innovation: challenges raised by countries
Interventions by national delegations highlighted common challenges. Togo notably pointed out obstacles linked to the regional central bank, hindering interoperability and innovation despite technical progress already achieved.
Benin, for its part, shared its experience in opening electronic money accounts, promoting competition and financial inclusion.
More broadly, several countries emphasized the lack of collaboration between institutions as the main obstacle to developing a high-performing and secure ecosystem.
A clear consensus: collaboration as the key to success
At the end of the discussions, a major recommendation emerged. There is a need to strengthen collaboration among all stakeholders—regulators, central banks, operators, technical partners and consumers.
The establishment of collaborative regulation now appears as an essential condition to ensure security, stimulate innovation and accelerate financial inclusion in the sub-region.
A shared commitment to take action
Closing this first day, the President of WATRA and Chairman of ARN of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Dr. Herry Mané, welcomed the quality of the discussions and the consensus reached. He urged participants to translate recommendations into concrete actions, an essential condition, in his view, to make West Africa an integrated, innovative and inclusive digital space.
He also renewed his thanks to the Togolese government and ARCEP Togo for the successful organization of this event.
Albertine A.
