• World Bank announces $137 million to boost West Africa digital economy
• Program expands broadband, aiming connect 5.2 million people
• Initiative supports digital skills training and 140 regional startups

The World Bank Group announced on March 10, 2026, a $137 million package to accelerate the growth of the digital economy in Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The initiative focuses on three priorities: modernizing digital infrastructure, improving the business environment and supporting enterprises.

Michel Rogy, the World Bank’s regional director for digital development and artificial intelligence, said the initiative will enable West Africa to accelerate its economic transformation by creating jobs, strengthening resilience and helping build a more integrated regional digital market. He added that the program addresses one of the region’s most persistent challenges: costly and unreliable connectivity that limits competitiveness and access to digital opportunities.

The financing first aims to reduce the digital infrastructure gap by developing resilient broadband networks, strengthening international connectivity and expanding data center capacity. According to the World Bank, about 5.2 million people across the three countries are expected to gain access to high-speed internet through the initiative. At the same time, 5.4 million new users are expected to gain access to digital services. The investments are intended to improve access to both public and private services while supporting the expansion of digital economic activity.

The program will also invest in digital skills. Around 9,000 people are expected to receive training in digital professions, with a particular focus on women and young people. Targeted areas include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and entrepreneurship.

Regional Integration and Business Development

Another major focus of the financing is regional integration. The program aims to promote a more integrated West African digital market through regulatory harmonization, improved digital governance and stronger competition. The World Bank is working with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) to support reforms and reduce infrastructure deployment costs. The objective is to make markets more predictable and attractive to investors while deepening regional integration, according to Marina Wes, the World Bank’s acting director of Regional Integration for Africa.

In terms of entrepreneurship and employment, the financing will strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems, expand digital financial services and provide seed funding to startups, alongside better access to markets and regional digital trade opportunities. More than 140 digital startups are expected to benefit, including women-led businesses.

This new financing phase builds on the West Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (WARDIP), launched in November 2023. The program’s first operation, worth $266.5 million, covered Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania in partnership with the African Union, Smart Africa and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). According to the World Bank, that first phase was expected to benefit about 1.3 million people. With WARDIP 2, the program now expands to seven countries and incorporates UEMOA into the framework.

Muriel Edjo