The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS has moved to strengthen regional integration with the adoption of new statistical guidelines designed to align data production across its 15 member states.
The guidelines were validated during a meeting of Directors-General of National Statistical Institutes from July 27 to 31, 2026 in Dakar, Senegal.
ECOWAS said the framework will improve how official statistics are produced and compared, making it easier to monitor Community policies and track progress on development goals.
The Commission noted that reliable and harmonised data is critical for measuring macroeconomic convergence, implementing regional projects, and planning for sustainable development in West Africa.
At the closing ceremony, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr. Kaliou Sylla, who was represented by the Acting Director of Research and Statistics at the ECOWAS Commission, Professor N’Zué Félix Fofana, stressed the strategic importance of quality data in driving development and regional cooperation.
He said data has become a critical tool for sovereignty, economic transformation and regional integration, noting that credible statistics are essential for evidence-based policymaking and the implementation of ECOWAS Vision 2050.
The ECOWAS Commission said the outcomes of the meeting represent another step towards building a more integrated regional statistical system capable of supporting economic planning, governance and development across member states.
