The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) concluded a two-day consultative workshop in Lomé, Togo, to advance its Regional Geospatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) Project, aimed at harmonizing spatial data to bolster crisis response, governance, and development planning.
The event, organized by ECOWAS’s Early Warning Directorate and closed by Vice-President H.E. Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, brought together national agencies, technical experts, and partners to finalize strategies for regional data integration.
The SDI Project seeks to centralize and standardize geospatial information across ECOWAS’s 15 member states, enabling coordinated responses to security threats, natural disasters, and infrastructure challenges. In opening remarks delivered by Dr. Onyinye Nkechi Onwuka, Acting Director of the Early Warning Directorate, Tchintchibidja emphasized the “urgent need for institutional collaboration” to strengthen human security and sustainable development.
Key outcomes included validation of the SDI framework, consensus on policy recommendations, and plans to address technical and institutional barriers to data harmonization. Participants such as Senegal’s SénégalNumérique SA and the African Regional Institute for Geospatial Information (AFRIGIST) highlighted the importance of interoperable systems for cross-border initiatives, including climate adaptation and conflict prevention.
During the closing session, Tchintchibidja urged sustained engagement, stating, “Together, let us construct a geospatial infrastructure that enables our region to act with greater impact, coordinate, and anticipate.” ECOWAS also acknowledged Togo’s government for hosting the workshop, underscoring its role in advancing regional integration.
The initiative aligns with global trends where standardized geospatial data has proven critical in crises, such as the Ebola outbreak response in 2014–2016, when mapping tools accelerated containment efforts. However, challenges persist: disparate national data standards, limited technical capacity, and funding gaps threaten the project’s long-term viability.
Similar frameworks, like the European Union’s INSPIRE Directive, have demonstrated that political will and sustained investment are prerequisites for success. For ECOWAS, the SDI’s effectiveness will depend on member states’ commitment to adopt shared protocols and allocate resources. As climate shocks and insecurity escalate in West Africa, the stakes for seamless data collaboration have never been higher.
