Member States Experts Validate the Revised Supplementary Act A/SA.1/01/10 on Personal Data Protection Within ECOWAS

Experts from the Ministries responsible for Telecommunications, ICT and Digitalisation, and National Data Protection Authorities of ECOWAS Member States, convened from 18th to 19th November 2024 in Accra, Ghana to validate the draft revised Supplementary Act A/SA.1/01/10 on Personal Data Protection within ECOWAS. The workshop aimed to strengthen and harmonize personal data protection frameworks across West Africa.

Adopted in 2010, the Supplementary Act required updating to address the significant evolution of the digital landscape. The validated revisions seek to ensure that legal frameworks are robust, comprehensive, and aligned with international best practices, fostering trust and cooperation among Member States while reflecting the unique context of the region.

Ms. Patricia Adusei-Poku, Executive Director and Commissioner of Ghana’s Data Protection Commission, The delivered the welcome remarks, emphasising the progress ECOWAS Member States have made in establishing legal and institutional frameworks for data protection. She urged Member States representatives to ensure the revised Supplementary Act reflects an authentic African perspective on data privacy.

On behalf of the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Mr. Sediko DOUKA, Ms. Folake Olagunju, Ag. Director for Digital Economy and Post the ECOWAS Commission highlighted the critical role of personal data protection in achieving growth, inclusion, and sustainability within the region’s digital economy.

Statements were also delivered by Ms. Chantal Lahmer, Portfolio Coordinator for Development Cooperation at the German Embassy in Ghana and Ms Anna Lixi, the Head of the Governance Section at the European Union Delegation to Ghana. Both reaffirmed the continued support of the German Government and the EU for development cooperation with ECOWAS and its Member States. The workshop was officially opened by Dr. Vincent Olatunji, Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria’s Data Protection Commission.

The revision of the Act was coordinated by the ECOWAS Directorate of Digital Economy and Post, with support from the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). These efforts were facilitated under the Data Governance in Africa initiative, implemented in partnership with support GIZ African Union.

The revised Supplementary Act will be presented at the next meeting of the ECOWAS Ministers responsible for Telecommunications, ICT and Digitalisation for their approval. Once adopted, it will mark a significant step forward in harmonizing personal data protection across the region, strengthening West Africa’s position in the global digital economy.