The speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahima, has called for a robust legal framework to guide the development of artificial intelligence across West Africa.

She made this call on Monday at a delocalised meeting of the parliament’s joint committee in Dakar, Senegal, focusing on education, science, and digital innovation.

Ms Ibrahima said the subregion must adopt new learning models to meet global technological demands. She expressed hope that the Dakar discussions would support a clear recommendation for a community legal framework on artificial intelligence.

She said digital transformation and innovation — especially in education — must be prioritised to shape the future of the subregion.

“This aligns with our parliamentary mandate and the aspirations of West African citizens,” Ibrahima noted.

She recalled that the parliament adopted a Protocol on Education and Training in Dakar in 2003 to harmonise education and promote excellence. Ms Ibrahima said ECOWAS boasts a young, dynamic population, diverse cultures, and growing economies but faces educational challenges.

“Traditional models of education are being questioned. We’ve progressed, but problems remain,” she said.

She cited poor infrastructure, digital inequality, and slow adoption by some member states as major obstacles.

“If Africa wants to join the global knowledge economy, every child must access digital tools from school,” she added.

She urged participants to develop concrete regional strategies that ensure inclusive digital learning.

“We must ask: what happens when AI replaces teachers? How do we humanise education?” she said.

She stressed the importance of building a region where every child can learn, grow, and contribute to prosperity.

Also speaking, Senegal’s education minister, Moustapha Guirassy, urged Africa to become AI creators and regulators, not just consumers. Mr Guirassy said Senegal allocated 1,105 billion CFA to education and 130 billion CFA specifically for digital education.

He stated that Senegal considers AI a central part of its education reform, supported by a new tech pact and a national digital strategy (2025–2029). He noted that AI is already being used to monitor school performance, and teachers have been trained in the basics of AI.

He added that sensitisation modules on algorithmic systems have been introduced for secondary students.

Mr Guirassy proposed a West African Pact on AI use in education, guided by a regional ethical charter and African-language digital resources.

(NAN)