Telecommunication  is a priority of the ECOWAS Commission to develop a more reliable and contemporary broadband, alternative broadband and submarine cables infrastructure.

Through assistance from the World Bank Group (WBG), Islamic Development Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB), work on ECOWAS terrestrial broadband networks is ongoing with over 60 % completed. Three (3) landlocked countries (Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger) now have at least two (2) routes for their access to the submarine cables through coastal Member States. Guinea Bissau and Liberia are currently the only Member States without a national backbone.

A market analysis study on and the business model of the ECOWAS Wide Area Network (ECOWAN) was validated in 2016. ECOWAN was launched to encourage the interchange of critical information for the promotion of better productivity in the telecommunications and Information Computer and Telecommunication (ICT) sector.

The Telecommunication Information Management System (SIGTEL) database project has been completed and currently operational. The system produces information and communication technology information as well as telecommunications of the region “at any given indicator”.

SIGTEL is to provide the necessary information and data for a representation of “West African telecommunication/ICT information in maps, charts and data analysis format.” SIGTEL has two platforms (i) SIGTEL administrative Portal and (ii) National Correspondents for Indicators (NCI) Portal.

Annual training programme have been instituted for Member States’ National Correspondents for Indicator (NCI) on how to update the database with national ICT statistics.