Digital Trade Barriers: Assessing Infrastructure Deficiencies, Security Risks, and Regulatory Challenges in West Africa’s Emerging E-Commerce Markets (Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea)

Mohamed Koroma, Kadiatu Fofanah, Mazatu Doris Tejan, Alimamy Saidu Konteh and Fatmata Koroma
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Mohamed Koroma: Lecturer, School of Technology, Computer Science & I.T Department, Njala University, Sierra Leone, West Africa.
Kadiatu Fofanah: MSC Student, Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, Department of Economics and Finance, China.
Mazatu Doris Tejan: Marketing Manager, AMIMKK PURE water & Engineering Services, Lumley branch, Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa.
Alimamy Saidu Konteh: Lecturer, Milton Margai Technical University, Electrical & Electronics Department Sierra Leone, West Africa.
Fatmata Koroma: MBA Scholars, Freetown Polytechnic College, Finance department, Kissy Campus.

International Journal of Latest Technology in Engineering, Management & Applied Science, 2025, vol. 14, issue 6, 478-499

Abstract: West Africa's e-commerce sector is expanding rapidly due to growing internet access, mobile adoption, and AfCFTA, yet remains constrained by infrastructure gaps, cybersecurity threats, and regulatory fragmentation. This pioneering mixed-methods study compares these barriers across six nations (Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea), integrating World Bank/ITU datasets with regulator interviews (n=12) and SME surveys (n=150). The analysis reveals severe urban-rural ICT disparities (>39 percentage points) limiting SME participation, Nigeria's disproportionate cybercrime burden (58% of regional losses, $500M annually), and costly regulatory misalignment (15-30% of revenues). These findings empirically validate van Dijk's (2020) digital divide theory and Williamson's (1981) transaction cost economics in West Africa's digital markets.

Date: 2025
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