FOSS Advocacy for West Africa and Beyond

Main contractor of the research study sponsored by OSIWA, and aimed to analyze and scrutinize the first draft of the inception report of the research study.

The researchers gathered in Dakar from Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire to discuss and choose the methodology and the research framework to use for the study.

The research study was launched last June to provide the appropriate input and researched information to FOSSWAY advocacy work.

The main objective of the study is to identify their software needs and expenditure for the period 2002-2007 and to asses the cost of using proprietary vs. Open Source software.

Furthermore, the study shall asses the procurement system and processes, identify expectations and trends, and provide case studies and documented experiences that exist in different parts of the world. The research fundings will contribute to understand the requirements for an efficient FOSS policy responding to the needs, and better involving all relevant stakeholders.

The progress of this research is steady but the only delay was due to logistic constraints which the research team will hopefully not have again.