In West Africa, decision-makers in both public and private sectors increasingly need faster, more granular, and high-frequency data to respond to complex development challenges. Traditional sources such as censuses and household surveys are slow and costly, whereas mobile phones generate continuous signals that can provide near-real-time insights on populations across the region. Recognizing this potential, the World Bank Group and ECOWAS, with support from the HISWACA Project, organized a workshop in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to explore how mobile phone data (MPD) can be scaled for national statistics and development planning.
A first generation of case studies demonstrates the value of MPD for timely, spatially detailed, and cost-effective statistical insights. In The Gambia, the National Statistical Office formalized access to MPD to produce migration statistics at a fraction of survey costs. Ghana used MPD during the COVID-19 pandemic to track mobility and displacement, providing near-real-time data on population responses to restrictions. In Côte d’Ivoire, MPD combined with household surveys produced high-resolution welfare maps, enabling precise targeting of social protection programs. Across these examples, MPD offers population-level data updated in days, disaggregated at local levels, and far cheaper than traditional surveys, highlighting its potential to enhance planning and policy.
Scaling MPD requires more than technical capacity—it demands a robust institutional and regulatory framework. Data access depends on trust, legal authority, and collaboration between statistical offices, telecom regulators, mobile operators, and data protection authorities. Legally binding agreements, such as Memoranda of Understanding and data-sharing arrangements, are essential to ensure privacy, compliance, and reliable governance.
Technical infrastructure and expertise are equally critical. Transforming raw call detail records into actionable indicators requires integrated IT systems, data science capabilities, secure environments, and trained staff. Even with data access, insufficient capacity can prevent statistical offices from fully leveraging MPD. Additionally, further research is needed to expand MPD applications across sectors like transport, disaster response, population monitoring, and social protection, while addressing biases that underrepresent women, the elderly, and low-income populations.
The Abidjan workshop also launched the ECOWAS Technical Working Group on Mobile Phone Data, a regional mechanism to support member states in institutional, regulatory, and technical implementation. The regional framework provides guiding principles, convenes stakeholders, and establishes governance and data-sharing agreements to ensure MPD initiatives are implemented effectively. This collaborative approach positions West African countries to harness mobile data as a sustainable, scalable tool for statistics, policy-making, and development planning.
