From March 2 to 6, 2026, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is holding a regional consultation in Côte d’Ivoire. The event serves as a platform for discussing the future direction of ECOWAS and will inform an upcoming Special Summit of Heads of State and Government.
Alongside this consultation, the ECOWAS Commission’s Research and Statistics Directorate is conducting five technical workshops in Abidjan from March 2 to 13, 2026. These workshops are part of ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the Harmonization and Improvement of Statistics in West and Central Africa Project (PHASAOC), funded by the World Bank. Their aim is to improve harmonization, modernization, and performance of national statistical systems among member states.
The official launch on March 2 was led by H.E. Adama Dosso, Deputy Minister to the Minister of State, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in charge of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad. Other officials present included Dr. Kalilou Sylla, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture at the ECOWAS Commission; Prof. KOUAKOU Kouadio Clément representing Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Planning and Development; H.E. Fathmah Diarre-Diop, ECOWAS Resident Representative in Côte d’Ivoire (ad interim); Prof. Félix N’Zué, ECOWAS Director of Research and Statistics (ad interim); as well as experts from member states.
In his opening address, Minister Adama Dosso stated: “Reliable, up-to-date, and harmonized statistics are strategically important for effective national planning and evidence-based public policy implementation.” He also said: “High-quality data plays a central role in driving structural transformation of African economies and achieving sustainable development objectives.”
Commissioner Dr. Kalilou Sylla added: “ECOWAS has a strong commitment to modernizing national statistical systems in alignment with Vision 2050.” He continued: “Regional methodological harmonization, greater use of innovative data sources, and strengthened cooperation among Member States are essential for building an integrated, resilient, and results-oriented statistical ecosystem.” He also recognized National Statistical Institutes’ professionalism: “Their engagement in implementing harmonization programmes forms the foundation of the region’s ambition for deeper statistical integration.”
The first workshop addresses strengthening national capacities in demographic projections through reviewing methods, sharing experiences among countries, practical exercises on population projections assumptions, and enhancing regional collaboration.
The second workshop focuses on applying the methodological guide for the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), particularly sampling techniques to ensure that consumer price indices are reliable across member states.
The third workshop involves sharing experiences with Open Data Platform version 2 (ODP2) and Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX). It aims to strengthen SDMX data modeling capacity while addressing interoperability issues. Collaboration with the African Development Bank supports digital transformation efforts.
In the fourth workshop, experts review methodology for calculating a Construction Materials Index (CMI), finalize material nomenclature, validate calculation formulas, and define implementation modalities.
The fifth workshop examines using mobile phone Detailed Call Records (DCR) for statistics production while developing legal frameworks for data use. It aims to foster collaboration between National Statistical Institutes, telecom operators, and regional bodies.
According to information from its official website, ECOWAS promotes cooperation among its member states by harmonizing policies related to trade, transport agriculture social development—efforts intended to raise living standards throughout West Africa while promoting stability. The organization operates under a commission headed by a president supported by vice presidents and commissioners (source). Since launching its multilingual website in 2022 (source), it has worked towards accessibility as it coordinates programs spanning at least twelve West African countries (source). Policy influence extends into infrastructure initiatives through mechanisms such as common external tariffs (source).
By organizing these workshops focused on technical capacity building—covering methodologies modernization information system improvement—and fostering better access to disseminated data across borders within its region-wide ecosystem—ECOWAS seeks robust support for decision-making development planning monitoring obligations tied not only to National Development Plans but also broader continental agendas like Agenda 2063 or global targets under Sustainable Development Goals.