Conakry: The Regional Project Coordination Committee (RPCC) of the Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program (WARDIP) held its inaugural meeting on 11th November 2025, in Conakry, Guinea. This meeting marks a significant step forward for the region’s digital transformation agenda.
According to African Press Organization, WARDIP is a World Bank-funded initiative aimed at boosting broadband access and fostering a single digital market across West Africa. The first Series of Projects (SOP1) will span from 2024 to 2028 and involves The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, the ECOWAS Commission, the African Union, and Smart Africa.
The RPCC functions as a coordination mechanism for the project, offering strategic guidance and policy insights to ensure that the annual work plans of the respective beneficiaries align with regional and cross-country priorities. The Committee is also tasked with advising on potential synergies across national and regional components to maximize investment impacts, conducting annual project progress reviews, and facilitating knowledge sharing between the ECOWAS Commission and implementing countries.
The meeting saw participation from representatives of implementing agencies in the participating countries, the ECOWAS Commission, the World Bank, and officials from the respective Project Implementation Units.
The gathering provided a platform to discuss the roadmap for sustained collaboration among project implementing partners for knowledge sharing and learning. The implementing countries also pledged to utilize the coordination mechanisms established within the program to effectively follow up on outputs and actions adopted during the implementation of regional-level activities.
This successful inaugural meeting sets the stage for coordinated efforts to accelerate the implementation of WARDIP, ensuring that the project fulfills its mandate of increasing broadband access and advancing the integration of digital markets across Western Africa.
