The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly influenced the digital landscape, particularly in West Africa. Within the framework of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), member states face growing challenges in tackling cross-border digital harms that undermine the peace and stability of nations. Despite the existence of national laws, the integration of regional security measures to combat cybercrimes is hindered by a lack of regulatory frameworks and weak enforcement mechanisms.

For instance, the proliferation of fake videos and images involving Ibrahim Taore has created tensions among citizens. With some individuals interpreting these videos as a call to overthrow democratic leaders in their countries. A notable incident occurred in Sierra Leone when a minister was attacked after he publicly labeled some of Taore's videos as fake.

Moreover, my experiences living and traveling across some countries in West Africa highlight the urgent need to discuss this issue, especially given the growing number of bloggers and digital platform users in the region. The media landscape has evolved to the point where anyone can publish their opinions online. A good example of this is the case of Adebayo and the riots in August 2023 and November 2024.

This discussion will emphasize the need to strengthen sub-regional integration to address misinformation and cyberbullying among member states, while safeguarding digital rights. We will explore the tensions that misinformation has caused within member states and how these tensions have been fueled in neighboring countries. Additionally, we will examine the strengths and weaknesses of ECOWAS in addressing these challenges.

The overall aim of this topic is to raise awareness and urge the regional body to develop strict measures to combat misinformation and cyberbullying in the digital realm for its member states. Further provides recommendations to achieve this goal. While, also upholding Article 19 of the UDHR.