The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has begun a four-day capacity-building training programme on the African Regional Integration Synthesized Index (ASRII) Digital Platform, aimed at enhancing the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of regional integration efforts across West Africa.
The training, taking place from August 4 to 7, 2026, at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, forms part of the African Union Commission’s continental initiative to strengthen the assessment of Africa’s regional integration progress through a harmonized digital platform.
The programme brings together officials from across the Commission to improve their capacity to collect, harmonize and analyse data that will support evidence-based policymaking and provide more accurate measurements of regional integration across ECOWAS Member States.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Madji Gasper, Programme Officer for Data Harmonization in the Directorate of Research and Statistics, represented the Acting Director of Research and Statistics, Prof. Felix Fofana N’ZUE.
He stressed that reliable, harmonized and timely data are essential for advancing the ECOWAS regional integration agenda, noting that effective policymaking depends on the availability of high-quality statistics and coordinated data management systems.
Mr. Gasper highlighted the growing importance of digital transformation in strengthening the Commission’s institutional capacity and improving the monitoring of regional integration programmes. He also emphasized the need for greater collaboration among ECOWAS departments to ensure that data generated across sectors supports informed decision-making and policy implementation.
The ASRII Digital Platform is designed to provide a standardized framework for measuring progress in regional integration across the African continent. It enables Regional Economic Communities and Member States to monitor key integration indicators, assess performance, identify gaps and generate evidence that can guide policy reforms and development planning.
For ECOWAS, the platform is expected to improve data quality, strengthen institutional coordination and enhance the Commission’s ability to track progress in implementing regional integration commitments under the ECOWAS Vision and the broader African Union Agenda 2063.
The capacity-building exercise also reflects the Commission’s commitment to leveraging digital technologies to modernize statistical systems, promote transparency and support sustainable economic integration across West Africa.
By strengthening the technical skills of its staff and institutionalizing the use of the ASRII Digital Platform, ECOWAS aims to reinforce its role as a leading regional organization committed to evidence-driven governance and the acceleration of Africa’s integration agenda.
