Cybersecurity and ICT experts from ECOWAS Member States have validated the draft Final Report on the feasibility of establishing a Regional Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (RCCC).
The meeting, held from September 15–17, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria, is a key step before the report is submitted to ministers for endorsement and eventual ECOWAS approval.
The RCCC is envisioned as a regional hub to coordinate cybersecurity efforts, strengthen cooperation and facilitate information sharing across Member States, without replacing national authorities or Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs). It supports the ECOWAS Regional Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Strategy under Directive C/DIR.1/01/2021.
Speaking at the opening, ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Sédiko Douka, who was represented by Folake Olagunju, Acting Director of Digital Economy and Post, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to a secure digital future. He noted that rapid digital transformation in the region brings both opportunities and risks, stressing that fragmented national responses are insufficient.
“The RCCC is not about replacing national efforts; it is about amplifying them, thereby creating a structure where information sharing improves our collective response, capacity exchange thrives across borders, and cyber diplomacy is practised with a unified voice,” he stated.
Chairing the workshop, Richmond Redwood-Sawyerr, Director of Cyber Resilience at Sierra Leone’s National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NC3), commended ECOWAS for spearheading the initiative. He acknowledged initial concerns about cooperation and information sharing but said the feasibility report provides clear answers.
“The RCCC can strengthen cybersecurity across our Member States without duplicating national efforts — provided we adopt a phased model that respects sovereignty while delivering tangible services from day one,” Redwood-Sawyerr said. He urged Member States to provide sustained support to ensure the Centre’s long-term success.
With the experts’ validation complete, the report will be presented to ICT ministers for endorsement before moving through the ECOWAS statutory approval process.
