Telecom, Fintech Leaders Push For Strategic Partnership And Inclusive Policies At WATISE 2025
By Kingsley I. Ilechukwu, Bureau Chief, South West, Nigeria
The 2025 edition of the West Africa Telecommunications Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition (WATISE) has ended in Lagos with a strong call for governments, regulators, and industry players to deepen collaboration, protect telecom infrastructure, and prioritise inclusive digital access across the region.
The event, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lagos, brought together critical stakeholders from the telecommunications, technology, and financial services sectors under the theme “Digitalising West African Economy: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities for Critical Stakeholders.”
In his address, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo said the telecom sector in West Africa was witnessing renewed growth, with investments at their highest since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Engr. Adebayo noted that telecoms remained the backbone of the digital economy, enabling banking, fintech, telemedicine, education, commerce, and emergency services across the region.
Adebayo, however, warned against vandalism, multiple taxation, and Right of Way restrictions that continued to stifle expansion while commending the Federal Government’s ongoing tax reforms, set to reduce over 56 levies by January 2026, and urged states across West Africa to create enabling conditions for faster digital rollout.
In his goodwill message, the President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Tony Emoekpere said that , the next ten years would define West Africa’s place in the global digital economy stressing “If we build the infrastructure, harmonize policies, and encourage collaboration, we will unlock unprecedented economic growth, create millions of jobs, and give our young population the tools to compete globally.”
Mr. Emoekpere noted that investors must recognize that while risks existed, the upside of digital West Africa was unmatched saying that this was a frontier market with the potential of doubling its digital economy contribution to GDP within a decade.
Head Commercial Buiness, Business Development at AfriGo Payment Financial Services Limited, Dr. Nnenna Achife, speaking on one of the lead presentations, Leveraging Connectivity And Technology To Transform Card Payment System In Africa, revealed how AfriGO is powering card payments through technology and inclusion.
According to Dr. Achife, AfriGo had helped to reduce operating expenses through transparent pricing and billing settlement in local currency as well as support welfare and social Intervention programs via providing access to government social intervention programmes.
She added that AfriGo had been supportive of Instant merchant credit and same-day settlement ensured steady cash flow for business operations including promoting cashless economy by encouraging the adoption of affordable electronic payments options, which are (cards).
Achife said that AfriGo was instrumental for the enhanced offline payment to support authorisation where there was limited or unreliable internet access, saying that the Embedded NIBSS Quick Response Code (NQR) had been formidable for the for P2P & P2M payment and collection capabilities.
In his keynote speech, Managing Director of Trade Lenda, the digital bank for SMEs Adewunmi Adesina said that there were opportunities for Stakeholders to unlock the full potential of digitalization adding we must act collectively but that Governments must invest in infrastructure and harmonise digital policies across ECOWAS.
He called for private sector players collaboration to build scalable platforms that served the underserved adding that development Partners must support capacity-building and digital inclusion programmes.
Adesina said entrepreneurs must continue to innovate boldly, solving local problems with global ambition saying that at “Trade Lenda, we are proud to be part of this movement providing micro and small businesses with access to credit through digital channels, enabling them to grow sustainably.”
Vice President of FintechNGR and MD/CEO of CreditRegistry, Jameelah Sharrieff-Ayedun cautioned against the risk of “digital apartheid,” where millions of Africans remained excluded as “digital ghosts” from the formal economy.
She stressed the need for inclusive access to data and credit through innovative use of alternative data sources such as mobile usage and e-commerce, warning that failure to act could turn Africa’s youthful population into a lost economic opportunity.
A fireside chat led by the Chief Executive Officer of WTES Project Limited, Chidi Ajuzie and panel session led by a robotic engineer, Mrs Racheal Anorue highlighted the pressing challenges of rising USSD costs, poor connectivity, and risks faced by mobile agents. Panelists agreed that stronger collaboration, public sensitisation, and technology-driven infrastructure security were key to driving financial inclusion and lowering transaction costs.
At the close of the summit, participants called for:
*Protection of telecom infrastructure against vandalism.
*Harmonised and enabling policies across ECOWAS states.
*Urgent steps to reduce the cost of USSD and digital transactions.
*Greater investment in workforce training and digital security.
*Regional collaboration to unlock West Africa’s trillion-dollar digital economy potential.
The summit concluded with optimism that with sustained investments, regulatory reforms, and inclusive strategies, West Africa’s telecom and fintech sectors are well-positioned to drive economic transformation across the sub-region.
