Future Interventions on
Competition Policy and Law
issues in West Africa
Rijit Sengupta
7Up4 Final Conference
Partners Review Meeting
6th August 2010, Dakar
Real Impact: Moov story (Togo)
- Togo had only one cellular provider TOGOCELL
- A second (private) operator MOOV was given
license to operate in 2006, and gained substantial
market position, but its application for renewal of
license was disallowed!
- A large number of MOOV users were stranded,
TOGOCELL was selling lines at a premium
- Under mounting public pressure, led by ATC
government renewed MOOV license in Jan 2010
Certain Outputs & Outcomes
• Challenges for competition reforms identified
• Linkages between competition reforms and
development better evolved
• Roadmap for National Competition Reforms
prepared, and discussed
• Core group (multi-stakeholder) of
individuals/institutions developed
• Greater interest generated among state and
non-state actors on CPL
• Benefits from market competition, and effects
of its absence demonstrated
A lot remain to be done…
• Need for long-term political commitment on
pro-competitive market reforms
• Huge demand for knowledge on competition
policy/law issues
• Considerable interest among civil society
(especially project partners) on CPL
• High expectations from relevant institutions for
follow-up actions
Suggested ‘future activities’
• Education and knowledge development –
master’s level courses to train YPs on CPL
• National consultations – needs assessment
for better enforcement, assistance for
developing Competition Policy
• Parliamentary advocacy – lobbying for
greater attention to CPL
• Targeted training – for judges/lawyers,
media, etc.
• Awareness and Outreach – press campaign,
road-shows (National Competition Day)
Country-specific Activities
• University course/module on CPL – Burkina
Faso, The Gambia, Ghana, Senegal
• Needs Assessment for agency/deptt. - Burkina
Faso, The Gambia, Mali, Senegal, Togo
• Draft Competition Policy - Nigeria and Ghana
• Training for judges & lawyers – all countries
• Training journalists to report anti-competitive
cases and their impacts – all countries
• Parliamentarians’ briefings for better attention
to CPL agenda – all countries
• Radio talks and Press campaign on CPL and
Cons. Protection – all countries
This is just the beginning…
Thank You