The 3-Line Summary
- The 10th West African IGF (WAIGF) met in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on 26–27 July 2018, gathering government, private-sector, civil-society and academic experts around the development of the digital economy and emerging technologies.
- Co-organized by ECOWAS, the Government of Burkina Faso and IGF-BF under the patronage of Digital Economy Minister Hadja Ouattara, the forum set out to define 'concrete actions' for developing these technologies in the sub-region.
- At its 10th milestone edition, the regional IGF pushed beyond dialogue toward an action agenda for West Africa's digital economy — a case study in regional policy coordination.
Welcome — this is the Japan IGF Support Organization. This in-depth report on West African IGF 2018 in Ouagadougou draws on official outputs, session records and on-site reporting. In a hurry? The three lines above and the diagrams carry the gist.
📍 The catalogue lists Accra, but records show the 10th edition (2018) was held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Accra hosted in 2008 (first edition) and 2022 (14th edition).
Conference at a Glance (from official records)
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Edition | 10th edition |
| Dates | 26–27 July 2018 |
| Venue | Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso |
| Theme | Development of the (digital) economy and emerging technologies in West Africa (as reported by leFaso.net) |
| Host | Jointly organized by ECOWAS, the Government of Burkina Faso and IGF-BF (IGF Burkina Faso), under the patronage of Minister of Digital Economy Development and Posts Hadja Ouattara |
(See the source list at the end of this article.)
Discussion Digest — from the Session Records
Key exchanges extracted from session records and transcripts.
1. Digital Economy and Emerging Technologies — Defining 'Concrete Actions'
Sessions: Multiple sessions
- The ECOWAS representative framed the 10th forum as 'a framework for defining concrete actions for the development of these technologies in the sub-region' [1]
- The emphasis was on producing outcomes that feed a region-wide digital economy agenda, not one-off debate [1]
2. Host Burkina Faso — Ministerial Patronage and National Digital Ambitions
Sessions: Multiple sessions
- Minister of Digital Economy Development and Posts Hadja Ouattara sponsored the meeting, with Secretary-General Kisito Traoré of the ministry speaking at the opening [1]
- For landlocked Burkina Faso, the digital economy is a pillar of diversification — hosting the regional forum was itself part of the national strategy [1]
3. Multistakeholder Dialogue — Shared Principles across Government, Business, Civil Society and Academia
Sessions: Multiple sessions
- Coverage described participants as representatives of governments, the private sector, civil society and universities 'sharing principles, best practices, rules and decision-making processes' shaping the Internet [1][2]
- Experts from beyond the sub-region, including Tunisia, took part, making the forum a venue for intra-African exchange [1][2]
Three-Minute Short Talk — Your Questions Answered
Q. What was this meeting about?
A. The 10th edition of West Africa's regional IGF. In 2018 the focus was how to grow the digital economy and emerging technologies in the sub-region, with 'concrete actions' as the goal.
Q. Wasn't it held in Accra?
A. No. The 10th edition in 2018 took place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Accra hosted the first edition in 2008 and the 14th in 2022.
Q. Why should I care?
A. It shows a regional bloc (ECOWAS) coordinating digital policy across borders — a practical model for Internet issues that no single country can solve alone.
What Is West African IGF? (for first-time readers)
West African IGF is a National or Regional IGF Initiative (NRI), aligning local internet governance discussion with global IGF principles.
Why It Matters to You
What was discussed here becomes the baseline for national digital policy, platform rules and AI regulation worldwide within a few years. The principles confirmed at the 2018 meeting are the foundation of the "next rules" for the phones, social platforms and AI services you use every day.
Sources & References
- Gouvernance de l'Internet en Afrique de l'Ouest : Les experts veulent définir des actions pour son émergence（仏語。引用は翻訳） — leFaso.net（ブルキナファソ） (accessed 2026-07-11)
- West African Internet Governance Forum 2018 (WAIGF) — 26–27 July 2018, Ouagadougou — ICANN Features (accessed 2026-07-11)
- 16th Edition of the West African Internet Governance Forum — Communique (past hosts list incl. Ouagadougou) — WAIGF / ECOWAS (accessed 2026-07-11)
- About Us — West African Internet Governance Forum — WAIGF / ECOWAS (accessed 2026-07-11)
Quotes are translated or condensed from the records listed above. Bracketed numbers [n] refer to the source list.
Related links
- IGF official (NRI list): https://www.intgovforum.org/en/content/national-and-regional-igf-initiatives
- Japan IGF: https://japanigf.jp/
- Yuki Nakazawa's blog: https://nkzw.jp/category/igf/
Revision History
Rev. 1 — published 2 October 2018, 16:00 (Article published)
Rev. 2 — updated 11 July 2026, 02:14 (Fully revised into the in-depth edition: added the 3-line summary, minutes digest, short talk, source list and diagrams (all quotes verified against the listed sources))
— 中澤祐樹
