Digital governance for democratic integrity in West African electoral contexts

Digital technologies are transforming electoral processes across West Africa. Social media, digital ID systems, and online results interfaces offer new avenues for transparency and civic participation, but they also threaten democratic integrity. This article examines the region’s digital-political ecosystem, focusing on how digital platforms are shaping electoral communication in contexts marked by democratic fragility, ethnic divisions, and political instability. Biometric voter registration and electronic results transmission have improved electoral administration, yet at the same time social-media disinformation, internet shutdowns, and surveillance undermine fundamental democratic freedoms. This article also draws attention to emerging digital-governance frameworks that are applicable in West Africa, including UNESCO’s 2025 Model Policy Framework for Information Integrity in West Africa and the Sahel and the AAEA’s 2023 Principles and Guidelines for the Use of Digital and Social Media in Elections in Africa. The effectiveness of digital governance, which requires a balancing of state security concerns against protections for human rights and free expression, will play a central role in determining whether West Africa’s digital transformation strengthens or undermines electoral legitimacy and political stability.