• ECOWAS will integrate AI into its early warning systems to strengthen crime prevention and intelligence analysis.

• The region faces one of Africa’s highest organized crime levels, with a 5.44/10 score in the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index.

• Senegal will launch a National Alert and Response Center, signaling tighter regional coordination.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to reinforce its strategy against organized and transnational crime. The initiative was announced during a regional workshop on human security, crime, and delinquency held in Dakar, Senegal, from October 21 to 24, 2025.

The meeting aimed to strengthen the capacities of experts from the National Coordination and Response Mechanisms (NCCRM) to address growing security threats across West Africa.

According to an ECOWAS statement released on October 22, AI will be integrated into the region’s early warning systems to improve crime analysis, prediction, and prevention.

The workshop’s discussions focused on the links between organized crime and conflict, geospatial analysis, and crime mapping—tools that are expected to enhance regional intelligence sharing and operational efficiency.

“Criminal actors are exploiting a constantly evolving context marked by new conflicts, persistent political instability, and rising economic inequality,” warned Zelma Nobre Fassinou, who represented ECOWAS Vice President Damtien L. Tchintchibidja at the opening session.

AI use in Africa remains limited but promising. According to research by ENACT, several African countries are already deploying AI tools. South Africa leads in applying AI to detect cybercrime, fraud, and enhance police investigations.

Ghana and Senegal are experimenting with AI-based mapping under the Africa Regional Data Cube (ARDC) project, which compiles 17 years of satellite imagery and Earth observation data. This system helps identify high-risk areas for crime and trafficking.

In his address, Mamadou Moustapha Seck, representing the Senegalese government, emphasized the importance of alert and response systems to anticipate crises. He announced the upcoming launch of Senegal’s National Alert and Response Center, which will support ECOWAS-wide monitoring initiatives.

Transnational crime remains a critical challenge to security and development in the ECOWAS bloc. Weak judicial institutions, porous borders, and poor regional coordination continue to facilitate illicit trafficking.

According to the 2021 UNODC World Drug Report, the number of drug users in Africa could rise by 40% by 2030. West Africa remains a key transit hub for cocaine and is emerging as a production center for methamphetamines and synthetic drugs.

The 2023 Global Organized Crime Index ranked West Africa as the continent’s second most affected region, with a criminality score of 5.44 out of 10.

To counter these threats, ECOWAS has multiplied its initiatives in recent years. The bloc launched the OCWAR-T project in 2019 with support from the European Union and maintains the West Africa Coast Initiative (WACI), created in 2009.

These programs, implemented in collaboration with UNODC, INTERPOL, GIZ, and UNDP, aim to strengthen judicial and security institutions and foster deeper regional cooperation.

This article was initially published in French by Charlène N’dimon

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum