The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has held a regional training workshop aimed at strengthening migration data systems across West Africa.
The training, which took place, in Praia, Cabo Verde, was organized through the Commission’s Directorate of Free Movement of Persons and Migration in collaboration with its Directorate of Research and Statistics.
The initiative, supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), is part of ongoing efforts to develop ECOWAS guidelines for migration data collection and management in the region.
According to ECOWAS, the training responds to the “growing need for reliable, harmonized, and policy-responsive migration data systems” as West Africa continues to experience evolving labour mobility patterns, demographic shifts, and environmental pressures.
“The development of common guidelines will enhance evidence-based policymaking and improve migration governance across Member States,” the Commission stated.
It added that strengthening data systems is critical to supporting regional integration and ensuring that migration policies are aligned with current socio-economic realities.
The workshop brought together experts and stakeholders from across the region under the ECOWAS Free Movement of Persons and Migration Programme, with a focus on building capacity for data collection, analysis and management.
Participants are expected to leverage the outcomes of the training to improve national and regional migration data frameworks, thereby promoting safer and more structured mobility within West Africa.
