Freetown, 16th March, 2026 – The World Bank Group has approved a $137 million regional initiative to accelerate digital integration and job creation in Benin, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, a move expected to expand broadband access, nurture startups, and unlock thousands of digital jobs across West Africa.
The program, known as the Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program (WARDIP2), is the second phase of a flagship initiative launched in 2023 to promote a single digital market in the region. It will focus on three pillars: expanding and upgrading digital infrastructure, fostering a more business‑friendly environment, and enabling businesses to scale across regional markets.
For Sierra Leone, the project is expected to connect thousands of households and businesses to new or enhanced broadband networks, support digital skills training for 9,000 individuals, including women and youth.
It will also strengthen the ecosystem for startups and SMEs, with more than 140 digital enterprises across the three countries set to benefit from seed financing, market access, and cross‑border trade opportunities whilst expanding opportunities in AI, cybersecurity, and entrepreneurship, helping Sierra Leonean innovators compete regionally.
Across the three countries WARDIP2 will: Boost broadband access for 5.2 million people, enable 5.4 million new users to access digital services, modernize data‑center capacity and international connectivity and provide tools such as an electronic invoicing system, harmonized regulations, and digital financial services to reduce costs and improve competitiveness.
Michel Rogy, World Bank Digital and AI Regional Practice Director, said: “This initiative positions West Africa to accelerate economic transformation by creating jobs, strengthening resilience, and enabling a more integrated regional digital market. It addresses one of the region’s most persistent challenges: high‑cost and unreliable connectivity.”
Marina Wes, Acting Regional Integration Director for Africa, added: “By harmonizing regulations, modernizing digital governance, and improving competition, WARDIP2 creates a more predictable and investment‑friendly environment. These reforms are critical to deepening regional integration and unlocking private capital.”
The initiative builds on WARDIP1, launched in November 2023, which is already benefitting 1.3 million people in The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea‑Bissau, and Mauritania. With WARDIP2, the program now covers seven countries, including Sierra Leone, and extends support to the West Africa Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU).
