At the 2026 Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF) in Abidjan, from 14-16 April 2026, the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) convened a panel themed “From Access to Impact: Tackling Digital Inequality to Strengthen Civic Resilience in West Africa.” The session responded to a pressing challenge across the region that, although digital tools are now central to civil society operations, advocacy, organising, communication, and service delivery, many civil society organisations (CSOs), especially grassroots and community-based actors, still lack the systems, skills, resources, and protection needed to use them meaningfully. This concern sat at the heart of the panel, which framed digital inequality as a barrier not only to efficiency, but also to inclusion, voice, safety, and civic influence.  

Moderated by John Frinjuah, Programme Officer, Policy Influencing and Advocacy at WACSI, the panel brought together four distinct but complementary perspectives: Israël Guébo, Journalist, Media Consultant, and Communication and Digital Strategist; Raissa Banhoro, Director, Simplon Côte d’Ivoire and Founder of the International Institute of Sciences and Arts (IISAN); Franck Diea, Information Technology and Intellectual Property Specialist; and Franck Sombo, Head, Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Technology at WACSI. The discussion revealed that digital inequality in West Africa is not simply a question of connectivity. It is also about capacity, visibility, rights, governance, funding, and the ability of civil society to remain resilient in an increasingly digital civic space. 

Digital inequality is more than a connectivity problem 

A major thread running through the session was that digital inequality remains deeply structural. It does not affect all organisations equally, nor does it show up in only one form. The conversation highlighted evidence on cybersecurity attacks affecting CSOs, even as many organisations increasingly rely on digital tools to manage operations, engage communities, and run advocacy efforts. It was also clear that digital protection is not equitably distributed. Women, young people, and organisations working in rural communities often face greater barriers to access, safety, and meaningful digital participation.  

Speaking from WACSI’s institutional perspective, Franck Sombo grounded the discussion in the Institute’s research on digital security in West Africa, noting specifically that at least one in three CSOs (30 per cent) surveyed reported having been a victim of digital attacks over the past 12 months. He underscored that while technology adoption has grown across civil society, digital preparedness has not kept pace. Many organisations continue to operate without adequate awareness of digital threats, without sufficient safeguards, and without clear investment in the systems needed to protect themselves. His intervention sharpened an important but often overlooked question: how many organisations actually budget for digital security and technology? If civil society now depends on digital infrastructure to function, then digital protection and technology investment can no longer be treated as optional extras. They must become part of core organisational planning.  

Franck Sombo also drew attention to the great skills and capacity gap across the sector. WACSI’s research found that as many as 70 per cent of surveyed organisations had never received any training in digital security. Even among the remaining 30 per cent who had received some form of training, 39 per cent were self-taught. Together, these findings point to a sector that is becoming more digitally dependent without being adequately equipped to navigate the associated risks. 

When digital exclusion becomes a crisis of voice 

One of the strongest insights from the panel was that digital inequality also has direct implications for voice and representation. Israël Guébo stressed that when organisations lack the tools and skills to communicate effectively, they are not only digitally excluded; they are also deprived of voice. Grassroots and community-based organisations are often the closest to affected populations and the most grounded in local realities, yet they frequently lack the resources to tell their own stories, communicate their work, or shape public discourse. As a result, the narratives that gain traction are often told by actors with more visibility and resources, but less proximity to the communities concerned. 

This imbalance, the panel noted, is reinforced by wider inequalities in funding and digital visibility. Resources tend to concentrate around larger, urban-based organisations, particularly those located in capitals, while smaller and community-level actors remain marginalised. In that sense, digital inequality becomes a question of power: who gets seen, who gets heard, and who gets to define the story. The discussion also highlighted a related tension. Organisations are increasingly expected to demonstrate accountability and communicate results, yet they are rarely given the tools, support, or platforms needed to do so meaningfully. Even communities are often absent from the narratives constructed in their name. 

Israël Guébo also pushed the conversation toward practical communication habits. He reminded participants that accessible tools such as WhatsApp can be used far more strategically than many organisations currently do. From using WhatsApp as a web radio platform to leveraging the capabilities of WhatsApp Channels, he argued that communication should not be reserved for exceptional moments or major events. Organisations must learn to communicate regularly and intentionally, because visibility is built through consistency, and every activity matters. 

Why many CSOs still lack the tools to thrive 

From the perspective of digital skills and organisational strengthening, Raissa Banhoro offered some of the most practical reflections of the session. Drawing from the work of Simplon Côte d’Ivoire, she explained that many civil society organisations do not yet fully understand their own role as CSOs or the systems they need to function effectively. This affects everything from fundraising and donor engagement to project planning, communication, reporting, data collection, and monitoring and evaluation. 

She noted that many organisations still lack basic management tools and have weak or non-existent systems for collecting and using data. Some do not know how to structure proposals, how to communicate results at the end of a project, or how to present evidence of their impact. Others have no websites, limited online presence, and communication channels that are outdated or not used strategically. In many cases, important work is being done, but it is not being documented, communicated, or translated into institutional learning and visibility. 

Raissa’s central message was that effective support to CSOs must begin with understanding their actual needs. Too often, donors and implementing actors assume that organisations already possess certain foundational capacities and then impose solutions that do not align with reality. In response, her organisation developed a digital skills diagnostic tool that helps assess organisations according to their context, sector, and level of readiness. This makes it possible to provide tailored support rather than generic interventions. Her emphasis on co-construction, contextual understanding, and practical accompaniment is closely aligned with the session’s broader call for inclusive, user-centred digital solutions.  

Digital inclusion must also be about rights and protection 

Another important strand of the discussion was that digital inclusion cannot be separated from rights, law, and governance. Bringing a legal perspective to the panel, Franck Diea highlighted the need for CSOs to understand the regulatory environments in which they operate if they are to build digital resilience responsibly. His contribution drew attention to core legal issues, including cybersecurity, the protection of personal data, and intellectual property. 

He stressed that organisations collecting and storing personal data must comply with applicable national laws and cannot assume that mission-driven work exempts them from regulatory obligations. Referencing Côte d’Ivoire’s 2013 law on personal data protection and the role of ARTCI as regulator, he underscored the importance of responsible data handling and institutional awareness. He also drew attention to the need for organisations to protect their intellectual property, including logos, imagery, branding, and other forms of creative identity that shape how they are represented publicly. 

A particularly important idea he raised was the principle of “security by design.” Digital security, in his view, should not be treated as an afterthought or a response only when something goes wrong. It should be built into organisational systems, digital processes, and technology choices from the outset. His intervention made clear that meaningful digital inclusion requires not only access and skills, but also lawful, secure, and rights-respecting digital practice. 

Partnerships, funding, and the case for a Digital Resilience Fund 

As the panel moved from diagnosis to solutions, the conversation increasingly focused on partnerships, collaboration, and ecosystem-building. Several panellists stressed that no single organisation could close the digital divide alone. Civil society actors need stronger relationships with each other, as well as with institutions that can provide training, legal guidance, technology support, and long-term accompaniment. There was a shared call for CSOs to become more deliberate about structuring themselves, building internal systems, and positioning for the future, rather than operating only from one activity cycle to another. 

Here again, Franck Sombo helped push the discussion toward more systemic thinking. Beyond highlighting the budgeting gap, he proposed the idea of a Digital Resilience Fund: a dedicated pooled-funding mechanism, i.e. a multi-donor basket, through donor support, private sector funding, local giving, diaspora contribution, etc., to help CSOs invest in digital rights, digital security, and broader digital resilience. This was one of the most compelling ideas to emerge from the session because it recognised that many digital vulnerabilities are not simply technical problems; they are also funding problems. Organisations cannot be expected to secure their systems, modernise their practices, or adopt safer technologies if they have no resources with which to do so. 

He also pointed to the potential of digital peer-learning networks and platforms through which CSOs could learn from one another, exchange practices, and build collective strength around digital issues. That perspective broadened the discussion from one of organisational gaps to one of ecosystem design: what would it take to create an environment where digital resilience is funded, shared, and treated as central to civil society effectiveness? 

That collaborative ethos was reinforced by Raissa Banhoro, who encouraged public-interest organisations to be more open to partnership and less inclined to work in isolation. Some organisations, she noted, are not yet fully structured, while others are more established, but this difference should be a reason for mutual support rather than disengagement. Stronger collaboration across the ecosystem is essential if organisations are to build durable capacities and respond effectively to digital challenges. 

Moving from access to impact 

An important point from the audience brought yet another layer to the conversation: civil society organisations must also become better at marketing and communicating their value. This is not the same as commercialisation, but rather as a call for organisations to better articulate their relevance, present their services, demonstrate their impact, and position themselves strategically before donors, partners, and the public.  

The DRIF 2026 panel made one point unmistakably clear: digital inequality is not merely a technical problem. It is a civic, organisational, legal, financial, and democratic one. It affects whose voices are heard, which organisations remain visible, how communities are represented, and whether civil society can participate effectively in an increasingly digital public sphere. Moving from access to impact will therefore require much more than connectivity. It will demand investment in digital skills, stronger organisational systems, legal and cybersecurity awareness, better communication practices, tailored support models, more collaboration and strategic ecosystem funding for civil society digital resilience. 

WACSI’s participation at DRIF 2026 reinforces its institutional role as a leading civil society capacity-strengthening and thought leadership institution in West Africa, deepening its contribution to critical regional conversations on digital rights, inclusion, and resilience while also spotlighting the Institute as a bridge between civil society needs, policy discourse, and practical capacity support. 

About the author

Author profile

John Frinjuah

John is an international development practitioner, researcher, civil society expert, and partnerships specialist with extensive project implementation experience in the following programming areas: governance and democracy strengthening; education and health; civil society mobilization and capacity strengthening; peace and security; and youth, gender justice, and inclusive development across sub-Saharan Africa. He has extensive experience working with international development and civil society organizations in Ghana, the West Africa sub-region, and the United States.

He has also contributed to several policy-relevant research on development, democracy, governance, and security in Africa. His most recent on multilateralism is at the intersection of military doctrine and peacekeeping/peace support operations. This research, part of a commissioned work by the African Union, contributed to the most comprehensive review to date of African Union peace missions, "African Politics, African Peace", published by the World Peace Foundation in Boston.

John is an alumnus of the University of Ghana and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy - Tufts University in the United States, with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Masters of Law and Diplomacy from two institutions respectively. He’s fluent in English, proficient in French, and fluent in many Ghanaian and other regional West Africa languages.

He also consults on international development, security, governance, policy research and analysis, and advocacy. John can be contacted through LinkedIn, via phone at +233-55-040-6278, or email: FRINPARK@gmail.com

Author profile

Franck Sombo

Head, Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Tech at West Africa Civil Society Institute

Franck Arthur Sombo is a Decision Scientist and Business Analyst with over 10 years of experience helping organisations turn complex data into clear, actionable decisions.

His work sits at the intersection of business strategy, analytics, and technology. He specialises in translating messy, fragmented data into structured insights that leaders can use to drive performance, improve programs, and make confident decisions.

What he does best:
● Turns business problems into structured, data-driven solutions
● Builds dashboards and analytics systems that scale
● Bridges the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders
● Designs frameworks for performance tracking, evaluation, and learning
● Applies AI and emerging technologies to solve real business challenges

He works across non-profit, consulting, and international development environments, often in complex, multi-country contexts where clarity, adaptability, and stakeholder alignment are critical.

His approach is simple: data should not just inform decisions—it should shape better outcomes. He focuses on clarity over complexity, impact over activity, and solutions that are both practical and scalable.

If you’re looking to strengthen decision-making, unlock the value in your data, or build systems that support long-term strategy, connect with him.

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