West, Central African ministers adopt Cotonou Declaration to accelerate digital transformation

Ministers of digital economy and ICT from across West and Central Africa have adopted the Cotonou Declaration 2025, a regional commitment aimed at accelerating digital transformation, deepening integration, and promoting inclusive economic growth across the region.

The declaration was finalised at the first-ever regional summit on digital transformation, hosted by the government of the Republic of Benin in partnership with the World Bank Group. The summit brought together key digital economy stakeholders to share strategies, forge partnerships, and define a collective vision for a digitally empowered Africa.

According to Nigeria’s minister of digital economy and ICT, Dr. Bosun Tijani, the declaration represents a bold step toward regional collaboration and a single African digital market.

“Anchored in our shared ambition to deliver meaningful value to our people, the summit concluded with the adoption of the Cotonou Declaration 2025 — a statement of collective intent to accelerate digital transformation, deepen regional integration, and unlock inclusive economic growth,” he said.

The Cotonou Declaration outlines key commitments, including:

• Expanding affordable, high-speed broadband across the region;
• Deploying secure, interoperable, and citizen-centric digital public services;
• Equipping young people, women, and persons with disabilities with digital skills;
• Strengthening regional capacities in data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence;
• Promoting Africa-founded innovation and digital job creation across sectors;
• Mobilising public and private capital to scale digital transformation; and
• Harmonising governance structures, cybersecurity, and data protection frameworks.

Dr. Tijani emphasised that for Nigeria, Africa’s largest digital economy, the declaration aligns directly with national priorities, including building resilient fibre infrastructure, expanding digital public infrastructure, and strengthening talent development.

He described the declaration as “a turning point… marking a decisive step toward a single African digital market founded on connectivity, trust, innovation, and ethical AI.”

The minister added that the collaboration is set to deliver regional prosperity, resilience, and opportunities for citizens, and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to driving the vision forward with “purpose, partnership, and leadership.”