Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, has advocated for a robust legal framework to guide Artificial Intelligence (AI) development in West Africa. Speaking through Second Deputy Speaker Adjaratou Coulibaly at a delocalized meeting of the parliament’s Joint Committee in Dakar, Senegal, she emphasised the need for innovative learning models to align with global technological trends. The meeting, themed “Prioritising Education Technology and Innovation in the ECOWAS Region,” was reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Ibrahima expressed optimism that the Dakar discussions would yield recommendations for a regional AI legal framework. She underscored the urgency of prioritising digital transformation in education to shape West Africa’s future, aligning with the parliament’s mandate and citizens’ aspirations. Recalling the 2003 Dakar Protocol on Education and Training, she highlighted ECOWAS’s commitment to harmonising education and fostering excellence.
Despite a dynamic population and growing economies, Ibrahima noted persistent educational challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, digital inequality, and slow adoption by some member states. “For Africa to compete in the global knowledge economy, every child must have access to digital tools from school,” she said, urging the development of inclusive digital learning strategies.
She raised critical questions about AI’s role in education, such as its potential to replace teachers and the need to humanise learning, emphasising a vision where every child can learn and contribute to regional prosperity.
Senegal’s Minister of National Education, Moustapha Guirassy, echoed the call for Africa to create and regulate AI, not merely consume it. He revealed Senegal’s investment of 1,105 billion CFA in education, with 130 billion CFA dedicated to digital education, as part of its 2025–2029 national digital strategy. AI is already used to monitor school performance, with teachers trained in AI basics and secondary students introduced to algorithmic systems. Guirassy proposed a West African Pact on AI in education, supported by a regional ethical charter and digital resources in African languages.
