West Africa: Wameca 2025 to Focus On Journalism and Digital Public Infrastructure in Africa

20 March 2025
Media Foundation for West Africa (Accra)
press release

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is delighted to announce the return of the West Africa Media Excellence Conference and Awards (WAMECA).

The MFWA set aside last year to engage its partner organisations in West Africa to reflect on WAMECA's impact and explore ways of improving the biggest media gathering event in the subregion. The event was therefore not hosted in its usual form in 2024.

After a year's reflection, the MFWA is pleased to focus WAMECA 2025 on the theme: "Journalism and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in Africa". Scheduled to convene key media professionals, policymakers, journalists and editors, digital rights organisations, technology experts, and civil society organisations, this year's WAMECA aims to highlight the critical intersection of digital infrastructure, media, governance, and development on the continent.

Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) includes digital identity systems, payment gateways, data exchange platforms, and open digital systems. These systems have rapidly transformed governance and development practices globally. Governments in Africa are increasingly investing in digitalisation to transform their economies and facilitate public service delivery. Consequently, many countries have developed national plans and strategies to guide the deployment and governance of DPI, as well as digital public goods (DPGs) and services.

However, awareness and knowledge around DPI remain significantly limited within mainstream media and public discourse in Africa. This gap hampers public understanding, accountability, and informed decision-making, which are crucial for sustainable development and good governance.

Journalism plays a pivotal role in bridging the knowledge gap and establishing accountability measures to guide government policies and interventions on DPI/DPG. In light of this, WAMECA 2025 will convene the continent's distinguished media and technology stakeholders in discussions aimed at improving the deployment of DPI.

WAMECA 2025 will deliberate on strategies for empowering African media to become robust advocates and watchdogs of digital transformation initiatives, ensuring technology serves the greater public good while driving policy formulation and implementation across West Africa.

WAMECA 2025, the eighth edition, will take place in Accra, Ghana, from October 9 to 11, 2025. The conference will take place on October 9-10, 2025. The awards ceremony is scheduled for the evening of October 11, 2025.

Throughout the years, WAMECA has functioned as a gathering place for experts in various media, governance, and democracy-related fields for discussion on media development and good governance challenges across the continent.

In 2023, WAMECA focused on Media and Democracy in Africa. Participants deliberated on democratic recession in Africa and came out with actionable recommendations to mobilise a continent-wide response to the rollback.

The 2022 conference centred on Media and Women Empowerment in Africa. Participants discussed how the media across the continent can enhance the visibility of women and girls, amplify their voices, encourage women's participation in governance, and highlight women's leadership in various fields.

In 2021, guests and participants at the event exchanged perspectives on the emerging topic of "Misinformation, Digital Media Regulation and Journalism in Africa." The theme arose from the increasing number of laws in Africa aimed at enhancing state control over citizens' use of the internet, online communication channels, and digital media platforms, including social media.

In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world and strained an already fragile media landscape on the continent, WAMECA concentrated discussions on "The Future of Journalism."

In its previous year (2019), WAMECA centred its attention on the theme: "Social Media, Fake News, and Elections in Africa."

For more information, please visit wameca.mfwa.org or contact Samson Anang at samson[@]mfwa.org or +233 20 774 3233 or Vivian Affoah at vivian[@]mfwa.org or +233 24 489 6588

Accra, Ghana

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