From 9 to 12 March 2026, telecom experts reconvened in Accra, Ghana, for their iPRIS round after initially meeting in Sweden. The four-day session brought together national regulatory authorities (NRAs) from the National Communications Authority of Ghana (NCA Ghana), Communications Authority of Kenya (CA Kenya), Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA  Botswana), Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA Lesotho), and Public Utilities Regulatory Authority of The Gambia (PURA Gambia), with Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA Malawi) joining online to advance Change Initiatives (CIs) from policy concepts to practical regulatory action. 

They were joined by implementing partners, SPIDER and the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS), representatives of the European Union and regional regulatory organisations, including Communications Regulators' Association of Southern Africa (CRASA), East African Communications Organisation (EACO) and West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA).

Across Africa, telecom experts are working to bridge the digital divide and support the development of inclusive digital economies. Globally, an estimated 6 billion people – about three-quarters of the world's population – are using the Internet in 2025, up from a revised estimate of 5.8 billion in 2024. However, 2.2 billion people remain offline, down from a revised estimate of 2.3 billion in 2024 (ITU, 2025). Although mobile networks now cover about 95% of Africa’s population, only around 40% actively use mobile internet. This widening usage gap, driven by high device costs, limited digital literacy and access barriers, remains one of the continent’s greatest connectivity challenges (GSMA, 2025). These findings highlight the critical role of telecom regulators in expanding digital access, particularly for underserved communities.  

By strengthening regulatory frameworks in areas such as affordability, spectrum management, consumer protection, and digital inclusion, these efforts aim to improve access to affordable connectivity, digital services and economic opportunities for citizens across participating countries. The Ghana round, therefore, focused on reviewing progress on Change Initiatives while strengthening regional regulatory collaboration.

As part of the iPRIS structured peer-learning cycle, the Ghana round marked the transition from planning to implementation. Following the comprehensive knowledge-exchange sessions in Sweden in November 2025, telecom experts reconvened to assess progress on their CIs, share policy experiences, and refine implementation strategies. The daily sessions focused on three key areas: reviewing progress on CIs; strengthening regulatory capacity through expert-led sessions on strategic foresight, digital inclusion and project management; enhancing regional cooperation through peer-learning sessions; and Way forward presentations concerning CIs.

Day 1: From commitment to progress: Regulators advance Change Initiatives

The day began with opening remarks from Rev. Ing. Edmund Fianko, Director General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), and Gisela Spreitzhofer, the EU delegation to Ghana. Their speeches focused on the benefits of connectivity, especially for development sectors, the digital transformation journey in Africa, and the change initiatives of NRAs, setting a collaborative tone for the week’s work. As Rev. Ing. Edmund Fianko emphasised:

From mid-morning onward, the NRAs presented progress on their CIs, marking the first day of immense collaboration and peer-learning. These initiatives aimed to strengthen digital systems, expand digital access, improve service quality and prepare regulators for emerging technologies. Key topics covered include spectrum policy development, broadband access and community connectivity, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), AI governance readiness, satellite regulation, and consumer protection. 

This session demonstrated how regulators are moving beyond policy discussions to implement practical solutions that not only improve digital technologies but also ensure citizens benefit from inclusive connectivity. Day one provided a platform for peer learning as regulators shared experiences, challenges and solutions across countries. Through these, telecom experts not only made significant progress in the digital sector but also enhanced their institutional capacity to manage evolving digital markets effectively.

Day 2:  Strengthening regulatory capacity through shared learning

On day 2, the Ghana round went beyond CIs and focused on strengthening the regulators strategic capacity and technical expertise through expert-led presentations and discussions. The participants were first introduced to the strategic foresight methodology by Hans Hedin (PTS). A tool that aims to anticipate trends and emerging technologies and to strategically plan for forward-looking regulations. Hans Hedin noted: 

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Given that digital inclusivity is central to the iPRIS project, a session on inclusivity by Dr Caroline Wamala Larrson and Dr Cheikh Sadibou Sakho (SPIDER) was much needed. Emphasising the significance of community engagement to regulation, Dr Cheikh noted:

The presentation highlighted the need for regulators to view regulation as a social construct that affects real people with needs, shaped by social power dynamics.  Through approaches such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and gender-responsive strategies, participants were exposed to practical strategies to expand connectivity with underserved populations and promote equitable access across communities. As Dr Caroline Wamala Larrson noted:

Project Management and MEAL

Petra Rindby (SPIDER) led a session on Project Management and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL). This served as a guide for NRAs on how to tackle their projects to ensure alignment with their change initiatives. She further emphasised the importance of commitment and belief in the process: 

Throughout the presentations, participants engaged in discussions and projects that implemented these strategies, enhancing their problem-solving and strategic thinking skills.

The highlight of the day was the presentation titled “Smart Borders, Fair Billings” by NCA Ghana alumnus from the fourth iPRIS cohort. This session highlighted that border communities often experience the practical consequences of regulatory gaps, and addressing roaming challenges requires technical solutions and regulatory cooperation. 

Their presentation offered practical insights into roaming regulations and the challenges faced during implementation, particularly at the Ghana-Togo border. Participants explored real-world challenges affecting border communities, where mobile users often face unexpected charges, signal spillover, and inconsistent roaming services due to gaps in regulatory coordination.

Throughout the evening, participants shared experiences, challenges, and technical solutions from their own countries. Some of the challenges raised affecting border communities include automatic roaming in border towns, unexpected consumer charges, cross-border spillover and the need for effective regulatory coordination between neighbouring countries. It was a session that reflected the true knowledge-sharing aspect of iPRIS as the seventh cohort learned from practical examples of their African peers.

Day 3: Advancing digital cooperation through regional collaboration

iPRIS provides a platform for telecom experts to collaborate beyond borders. Through the Ghana round, NRAs interacted with RROs and European experts to address shared challenges in Africa’s telecom ecosystem.

Mr Kristof Itana (CRASA), Ms Anuoluwapo Atte (WATRA), and Mr Andrew Changa (EACO) led participants through individual CIs discussions, sharing insights on regional projects, challenges, and solutions that support national telecom advancements.

These exchanges not only provided a learning ground for NRAs but also highlighted iPRIS efforts in providing regional expertise to national regulators and strengthening regulatory capacity.

Through regional cooperation, iPRIS ensures that regulatory initiatives are practical and cater to the needs of citizens across countries.

Day 4: From progress to implementation: Defining the way forward

The last day of the Ghana round focused on translating lessons into actionable projects. Through this session, telecom experts went beyond planning and applied the knowledge gained to strategies that strengthen national telecom ecosystems and emphasise regional learning. The Way forward session offered a platform for each NRA to present on the next steps for their CIs, informed by insights from the previous day's guidance and shared learning.  In detail, each NRA presented the scopes, methodologies, challenges, expected outcomes, and outputs of the implementation process for the CIs. From the presentations, the goal was clear: to enable inclusive digital connectivity and markets, and protect consumers across participating countries.  

The Ghana round reinforced the iPRIS core mission, which aims to boost the Capacities of African telecom regulators through peer-to-peer learning, thereby helping NRAs strengthen and build inclusive digital systems. By bringing together national regulators and regional organisations, the Ghana round highlighted how regional collaboration enables harmonised digital development, helping countries align with regulatory standards and effective practices. As Keamogetse Mmokele from Botswana reflected on the value of the programme: 

The Ghana round marks one of the many phases in the iPRIS project. As iPRIS continues to collaborate with NRAs in the next phases of their CIs, equipping regulators with knowledge and capacity to address evolving digital challenges and drive sustainable, inclusive digital transformation across Africa remains central to the programme. 

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

Cheikh Sadibou Sakho examines why inclusion and social equity are essential to closing Africa’s digital divide

Keypoints:

• Digital divide in Africa is primarily social, not technological
• Inclusion and equity must anchor digital policy and regulation
• Meaningful connectivity requires skills, affordability and governance reform

‘WHAT is done for us without us is done against us.’ This principle, frequently invoked in development discourse, resonates deeply when examining Africa’s digital trajectory. It highlights a reality that remains insufficiently acknowledged: technological transformation cannot generate sustainable social progress if it is disconnected from the lived experiences of the societies it intends to serve.

Across the continent, digitalisation is often portrayed as an inevitable pathway to economic advancement and institutional modernisation. Yet progress that excludes populations in all their diversity—particularly disadvantaged and vulnerable groups—risks reinforcing structural inequalities rather than alleviating them. Technology, when detached from social contexts, may reproduce marginalisation instead of fostering resilience.

Africa’s digital future therefore hinges not only on innovation, but on inclusion.

Moving beyond infrastructure-centred narratives

Discussions of digital transformation in Africa continue to prioritise infrastructure indicators: broadband expansion, mobile network coverage, platform proliferation and technological innovation. These developments are significant and reflect genuine momentum towards modernisation.

However, such metrics obscure a more fundamental question: who benefits from digital technology, in what ways, and under which conditions?

The central challenge is not simply connectivity but meaningful connectivity — the capacity for individuals and communities to use digital tools in ways that enhance economic opportunity, strengthen participation and improve everyday life. Access without affordability, skills or relevance does not translate into empowerment.

The digital divide must therefore be understood as a multidimensional social issue rather than a purely technical gap.

Senegal as a lens on continental dynamics

My reflections draw partly from observations in Senegal, whose experience offers an illuminating perspective on broader African trends. In recent years, Senegal has pursued an ambitious digital agenda through initiatives such as the New Deal Technologique and the Sénégal Numérique 2025 strategy, accompanied by investments in broadband infrastructure and digital public services.

These initiatives demonstrate a clear political ambition to position digital technology as a driver of development and institutional reform. Yet beneath this progress, persistent divides remain.

National statistics reveal stark disparities between urban and rural populations. Nearly 16 percent of rural residents have internet access compared with nearly 60 percent in Dakar. Geography continues to shape digital opportunity.

Gender inequalities further complicate access. Women in rural areas are around 32 percent less likely to use mobile internet than men. Even in urban settings, disparities remain visible, illustrating how digital exclusion reflects broader socio-economic realities rather than simple technological delay.

Coverage alone does not ensure social appropriation. Digital participation depends on education, affordability, cultural relevance and confidence in technology.

Touba and the paradox of episodic connectivity

Patterns of digital usage in Senegal illustrate another dimension of inequality: cyclical connectivity shaped by social and economic rhythms. Telecommunications consumption rises dramatically during major religious gatherings, particularly the Grand Magal pilgrimage in Touba.

During this period, Touba temporarily becomes one of the most connected locations in the country. Digital networks facilitate communication, mobility coordination, commerce and religious organisation on a massive scale.

Yet once the event concludes, connectivity patterns revert to uneven norms. This demonstrates a critical paradox of Africa’s digital transition: moments of intense connectivity coexist with persistent structural vulnerability.

Infrastructure availability alone does not guarantee sustained or meaningful participation.

The digital divide as a reflection of social inequality

Africa’s digital divide should therefore be interpreted not as an isolated technological deficit but as a contemporary expression of historical inequalities.

Across the continent, nearly one billion people live in areas covered by mobile broadband yet remain offline. Women continue to face disproportionate barriers despite digital tools offering significant opportunities for entrepreneurship and livelihood stability, particularly within informal economies that employ large segments of the population.

These conditions reflect economic, cultural, educational and symbolic constraints. They reveal what may be described as a political economy of access — one shaped by structural inequalities rather than individual reluctance.

Why diversity, equity and inclusion must become central policy pillars

In this context, diversity, equity and inclusion must shift from peripheral considerations to core strategic pillars of digital development policies in Africa.

Digital technology has evolved into a space where economic, social and political opportunities are produced and redistributed. Decisions regarding connectivity increasingly influence employment prospects, education systems, governance processes and democratic participation.

Ignoring social dynamics risks reproducing exclusion at scale. Digital inclusion must therefore go beyond connecting territories; it must enable stable and meaningful participation in social life.

Encouragingly, Senegalese policy discourse is gradually evolving. Institutional priorities are beginning to move beyond infrastructure deployment towards digital skills, accessibility and inequality reduction. This shift reflects growing recognition that digital transformation is fundamentally political.

Rethinking regulation as a societal practice

The decisive question now concerns how African policymakers conceptualise digital technology.

If digital ecosystems are viewed exclusively as markets, exclusionary dynamics are likely to persist. If they are understood as socio-technical systems, regulation and public investment can instead function as instruments of social justice.

Telecommunications regulation must therefore extend beyond technical optimisation and market efficiency to incorporate social asymmetries, vulnerabilities and redistributive impacts.

Through the iPRIS programme, I have worked with regulators from more than a dozen African countries integrating societal considerations into regulatory initiatives addressing competition policy, spectrum management, user protection, broadband deployment and secure communications.

A notable cognitive shift is emerging. Regulators who previously focused primarily on market indicators are increasingly asking broader questions about social impact and long-term societal outcomes.

Technologies disconnected from social realities often encounter resistance and unintended consequences. Inclusive systems, by contrast, tend to be more resilient and sustainable.

Digital governance as a common good

Advancing digital inclusion requires coordinated action across multiple fronts: adaptive regulatory frameworks, competitive yet equitable markets, responsible data governance and differentiated connectivity strategies tailored to diverse populations.

More fundamentally, digital space must be recognised as a common good whose governance cannot be left solely to market forces.

The objective should not merely be reducing the digital divide but overcoming it. Universal connectivity is fundamentally an issue of social equity, linking infrastructure with affordability, digital literacy, locally relevant content and inclusive governance.

Digital technology has become a central arena of contemporary social justice.

Towards meaningful and universal connectivity

This inclusive vision aligns with the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy 2020–2030, which calls for harmonised regulatory frameworks, institutional strengthening and inclusive connectivity across the continent.

Encouragingly, dialogue with regulators across Africa suggests growing awareness of the social dimensions of digital transformation. Policymakers are increasingly engaging with questions of inequality, diversity and societal impact.

Such developments indicate an important realisation: meaningful and universal connectivity is not primarily a technological challenge but a social one.

Africa’s digital future will depend less on the speed of innovation than on the depth of inclusion. Only by embedding equity at the centre of digital governance can technological progress translate into shared prosperity rather than fragmented advancement.

The digital divide will not be bridged through infrastructure alone. It will be overcome when digital transformation is designed with people — in all their diversity — at its core.

Professor Sadibou Sakho is an Anthropologist and Sociologist, Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis (Senegal)

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).

From 9 to 12 March 2026, the National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana will host the second round of peer-to-peer learning of the seventh cohort of the ICT Policy and Regulation – Institutional Strengthening (iPRIS) project in Accra. 

iPRIS has engaged approximately 157 participants from 33 countries to date, highlighting the vast network of telecom regulators who share knowledge to advance their telecom industries. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces major challenges in digital development, including underdeveloped digital infrastructure, limited access to affordable connectivity, a digital gender gap, insufficient skills for digitally enabled industries and a weak regulatory and policy environment. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), effective regulation can reduce connectivity costs by up to 30%  while attracting greater investment in digital infrastructure, underscoring the critical role of institutions such as iPRIS in expanding affordable access and bridging the digital divide.

This meeting will bring together African National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) from the National Communications Authority of Ghana (NCA Ghana), Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA Lesotho), Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA Botswana), Public Utilities Regulatory Authority of The Gambia (PURA Gambia), Communications Authority of Kenya (CA Kenya), and Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA Malawi)

They will also be joined by Regional Regulatory Organisations (RROs), including the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), the Communications Regulators’ Association of Southern Africa (CRASA), and the East African Communications Organisation (EACO). Implementing partners, including the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and the Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER), will also participate.

The convening will mark the second stage of the cohort’s journey in the iPRIS cycle, following its initial phase in Stockholm in 2025. It will build on the cohort’s initial learning round, shifting from European learning exposure to Africa-based implementation. By prioritising practical reforms, the meeting will reinforce ICT regulation as a driver of digital transformation, strengthen regional cooperation among regulators, and deepen institutional capacity to ensure reliable and inclusive digital economies across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Read more about the 7th Cohort’s activities in Stockholm 2025 here.

Strategic objectives of this second meeting in Accra:

• Advance Change Initiatives led by participating NRAs, moving from design to implementation and adaptability to African realities.
• Strengthen regulatory responses to digital inclusion to ensure affordable access and to reduce gender and rural connectivity gaps through Diversity, Equity and Inclusion knowledge exchange sessions.
• Promote market efficiency by addressing competition, affordability, and consumer protection in ICT services through cybersecurity sessions.
• Equip regulators with the tools to address emerging technologies, including 5G, AI, and digital platforms.
• Tackle cross-border regulatory challenges through harmonising approaches to roaming, spectrum management, and regional digital markets.
• Deepen regional collaboration, fostering shared solutions and peer-to-peer support across national and regional institutions. 

An interesting session to look out for is the ‘Smart Borders, Fair Billings: Policy Lessons from Ghana’s Border Towns’ discussion that will be presented by NCA Ghana. This session will deliver practical lessons from NCA Ghana's experience driving roaming initiatives in its border towns. On the last day of discussions on Thursday, 12th March, the ‘Way Forward’ sessions will feature presentations from all the NRAs on their planning and execution strategies concerning their tailored Change Initiatives. It is a session open to all iPRIS alumni and current participants, where technical expertise and knowledge are shared.

The 7th cohort follow-up phase in Ghana will serve as a pivotal step in the seventh cohort’s journey, reinforcing iPRIS’s commitment to regulator-led reforms that respond to Africa’s digital realities. By combining peer learning with practical implementation, the programme will ensure that participating regulators return home equipped with actionable strategies to expand affordable connectivity, strengthen consumer protection, and prepare for emerging technologies. Sustained collaboration beyond this meeting will be essential to build resilient institutions, harmonised regional markets, and inclusive digital economies that empower societies across Sub-Saharan Africa. As regulators advance their Change Initiatives and strengthen regional cooperation, iPRIS will remain committed to its support, helping authorities adapt to emerging technologies and address cross‑border challenges with coordinated and forward‑looking solutions

iPRIS is coordinated and implemented by SPIDER in strategic and technical partnership with the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and Institut luxembourgeois de régulation (ILR), as well as ARTAC, CRASA, EACO, and WATRA.

iPRIS is funded by the European Union, Sweden, and Luxembourg as part of the Team Europe Initiative “D4D for Digital Economy and Society in Sub-Saharan Africa” (Code: 001).