The 2025 edition of the West Africa Telecommunications Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition (WATISE) has ended in Lagos with a renewed call for collaboration among governments, regulators, and industry players to protect telecom infrastructure and expand inclusive digital access across the region.
The two-day event, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lagos, gathered stakeholders from the telecom, technology, and financial services sectors under the theme “Digitalising West African Economy: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities for Critical Stakeholders.”
In his remarks, Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), noted that telecoms remain the backbone of the digital economy, enabling banking, fintech, education, telemedicine, and commerce across West Africa. While commending ongoing tax reforms in Nigeria, he warned against challenges such as vandalism, multiple taxation, and Right of Way restrictions, which continue to hamper expansion.
Other speakers, including Mr Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), and Dr Nnenna Achife of AfriGo Payment Financial Services Limited, highlighted the immense opportunities of the digital economy if stakeholders invest in infrastructure, harmonise policies, and promote inclusion.
Emoekpere stressed that the next decade would define West Africa’s place in the global digital economy, while Achife showcased AfriGo’s role in advancing card payments, financial inclusion, and the cashless economy through technology.
The summit ended with participants outlining key priorities for the region, including the protection of telecom infrastructure, reduction in the cost of digital transactions, harmonised policies across ECOWAS, and stronger investment in workforce training and digital security. With optimism, stakeholders agreed that West Africa’s telecom and fintech sectors, if supported by reforms and inclusive strategies, could unlock a trillion-dollar digital economy potential and transform the sub-region’s economic future.