ECOWAS TV Director- Generals Meet in Cotonou to Combat Disinformation, Strenghten Regional Media Collaboration. By Raymond Enoch
Directors-General of national television stations from across West Africa have gathered in Cotonou with a renewed resolve to confront misinformation about the Economic Community of West African States and strengthen public media’s role in advancing regional integration.
The two-day meeting, organised by the ECOWAS Commission’s Directorate of Communication with support from the German Government, marks the second strategic engagement of heads of national broadcasters and Heads of ECOWAS National Bureaus from 12 Member States.
The objective is clear: to reinforce the commitment of public television networks in addressing misinformation and disinformation surrounding ECOWAS while enhancing the visibility of the Community’s programmes, policies and achievements.
In his remarks, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, represented by his Senior Special Adviser, Mr. Abdoulie Gassama, underscored the pivotal role national broadcasters play in shaping public understanding of regional initiatives.
He described public television stations as trusted institutions with the reach and credibility needed to bridge the gap between ECOWAS institutions and citizens across the sub-region. According to him, effective communication is essential to sustaining confidence in the regional body’s peacebuilding, economic integration and democratic governance efforts.
The meeting comes at a time when digital platforms have amplified the spread of false narratives, making coordinated media engagement more critical than ever. Participants are expected to explore strategies for content sharing, joint programming and structured partnerships that will guarantee consistent and factual reporting on ECOWAS activities.
Declaring the session open, Chairman of the ECOWAS Administrative and Financial Committee (AFC), Mr. Komba Momoh, represented by Ms. Laygbay Lilian Amadu, Deputy Director of the ECOWAS Country Office in Sierra Leone, called for action-driven outcomes.
She urged the directors-general to move beyond dialogue and adopt practical recommendations that would translate into sustained programming, increased coverage and measurable impact. She emphasised that strengthening collaboration between ECOWAS and national broadcasters would not only counter misinformation but also promote transparency and public ownership of regional policies.
Deliberations in Cotonou are expected to culminate in a set of actionable commitments aimed at institutionalising cooperation between the Commission and national television stations.
For ECOWAS, the gathering signals a strategic step toward reclaiming its narrative and ensuring that the story of West African integration is told accurately, consistently and with the full backing of public media institutions across the region.
