From March 27 to 28, 2025, Prof Joseph Oloukoi, Head of Advancement and Linkages, represented AFRIGIST at the Consultative Workshop on the ECOWAS Regional Geospatial Data Infrastructure (RGDI) held in Lomé, Republic of Togo. The meeting was organised by the ECOWAS Early Warning Directorate (EWD) to validate the SDI framework and gather input from key stakeholders before its full implementation. The objectives of the workshop were to: validate the draft of SDI framework to ensure alignment with regional priorities and recognised methodologies, strengthen collaboration and ownership by securing buy-in from Member States and ECOWAS institutions, develop an implementation roadmap defining a clear timeline, responsibilities, and milestones for rolling out the SDI; and define data governance and sharing policies by establishing clear data collection, storage, and access protocols. The meeting was attended by participants coming from Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Gambia, Cabo Verde, Togo, Liberia, Benin, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea, NARSDA, AFRIGIST, Convener Geopolitics Series, Mr. Abdallah Diallo, the Consultant Resources and expert on ECOWAS RGDI project, and ECOWAS Early Warning Directorate. After the opening remarks by the Vice President of ECOWAS Commission, represented by the Acting Director, Early Warning Directorate, presentations were made on ECOWAS Early Warning System, ECOWARN Indicators, RGDI Objectives, Field Mission Findings, Strategic Directions, and SDI Components, ECOWAS Human Security Index (EHSI) and its Role in Data Infrastructure, Experience Sharing on SDI Implementation by Countries. AFRIGST, showcasing its roles in the provision of advisory services in geospatial data and information production, management, and dissemination to African Countries and relevant stakeholders, actively participated in two major thematic sessions: Data Governance, Institutions, Policy, and Legislation; and Approaches for long-term Sustainability. AFRIGIST supports the recommendations of the workshop towards the institutionalization of RGDI governance, Data harmonisation and interoperability, Sustainability of the RGDI, Data collection and update process. AFRIGIST also advocated for the establishment of two thematic regional working groups:
- A group on capacity building (training, skills transfer, human resources development);
- A group on legal and regulatory aspects related to the management, standardization, and sharing of geospatial data.
The meeting was declared closed by H.E. Mrs Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission. Special recognition was given to AFRIGIST for its active and quality participation and contributions to the various groups and the workshop. AFRIGIST, based on its wealth of experience in the subregion and in Africa, has pledged its support for the implementation of ECOWAS RGDI. As a training and research institution, it has a key role to play in the capacity-building components and other aspects of RGDI.
