“West Africa is one of the youngest regions in the world, with nearly 65% of its population under the age of 25; yet this significant human capital has not yet been transformed into a driver of prosperity.”
These were the observations made by the Vice-President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Ms. Damtien Larbli Tchintchibidja, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in Lomé, Togo, at the opening of the West African Youth Forum on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the development of human capital within the regional organization.
For Ms. Tchintchibidja, represented by the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Togo, Ms. Deweh Emily Gray, this forum responds to the wishes expressed by West African youth in 2025 in Accra, Ghana, regarding the urgency of integrating digital technology and artificial intelligence into their educational pathways.
This forum is not just another conference, she clarified, noting that it is both a response and a joint commitment by the ECOWAS Commission and these young people to ensure that the technological revolution is not a threat, but rather the greatest opportunity for their empowerment.
“Unemployment, underemployment, and, even more seriously, the manipulation of our youth by harmful entities, are inescapable realities. Artificial intelligence, for its part, is already transforming the world of work. If we remain inactive in the face of this evolution, this technology will only exacerbate existing inequalities. However, if we decide, collectively, to take the reins of its development, it could become the most powerful lever for truly inclusive progress,” said Ms. Deweh Emily Gray.
