Digital Foundation Africa, a pan-African think tank focused on unlocking and shaping the continent’s digital future through research, policy and skill development and advocacy in advancing digitalization and digital technologies has announced its maiden research dubbed “The West Africa Digital
Competitiveness Index”.

The index measures, access and rank which West African states are implementing, adopting and using good policies among other digital services.

It also maps the growth of its digital development sectors for socio-economic transformations.

Using about 10 variables from mobile money & online transactions to digital infrastructure and policy implementation in this maiden observatory study, Ghana led the Anglophone West Africa while Cote D’Iovire the digital competitive Francophone West Africa with Cabo Verde leading Lusophone West Africa as the most digital competitive country.

Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania were the worst digitally competitive West African states.

The ranking would guide ECOWAS states in their approach in the implementation and development of the digital sector hence translating into how citizens transact and use digital in their daily lives.

After the release of the index, activities will be held to engage governments and other stakeholders per country to help in the direction and future of the digital sector.

The West Africa edition is part of a bigger Pan-African digital index, the foundation intends to work from 2023.