Countries are being encouraged to workcollaborate with the ECOWAS Commission to improveenhance data collection. OfOut of the 13 countries which participatedinvolved in the firstinitial phase of the African Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators Initiative (ASTII), justonly four from ECOWAS countries contributed to ASTII'sthe first data collection of data on research for publication in the ''African Innovation Outlook'' (2011):. These countries include Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal. ASTII was, launched in 2007 by the African Union's ''New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)'', in orderaims to improve research data collection and analysis in the field of research.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.nepad.org/resource/african-innovation-outlook-2010|title=African Innovation Outlook 2010|last=Planning and Coordinating Agency of the New Partnership for Africa's Development|year=2011|___location=Pretoria}}</ref>
While ECOWAS washad barelya morestronger visiblepresence in the second ''African Innovation Outlook'',withcompared justto sixthe countriesfirst contributingedition, datathere onis researchstill room for more participation and developmentreporting outfrom member states. Only six of 19ECOWAS's acrossnineteen themember countries continent:- Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Mali, Senegal and Togo - contributed data on research and development activities. NigeriaNotably missing was totally absentNigeria, and onlyjust Ghana and Senegal provided acomplete fullinformation setacross all four assessed sectors of datainnovation performance. Broader involvement and reporting from within the economic community would shine a brighter light on trends and possibilities for alladvancement. fourOverall performanceparticipation sectorsfrom ECOWAS members needs to increase to give a fuller picture of innovation in the region and where efforts could focus.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.nepad.org/resource/african-innovation-outlook-ii-0|title=African Innovation Outlook 2014|last=Planning and Coordinating Agency of the New Partnership for Africa's Development|year=2014|___location=Pretoria}}</ref>
SubregionalECOWAS trainingtook workshopsactions werein organizedrecent foryears countriesto byaddress ECOWASweaknesses in technological application stemming from research. In 2013 and 2014, the organization held subregional workshops for member countries focused on science, technology and innovation indicatorsmetrics andas howwell toas draftdrafting research proposals. ECOWASThese hastrainings takenaimed otherto stepsbuild recentlyskills toin tackleevaluating theinnovation lackprogress. ofAdditionally, technologicalin impact2012 ofECOWAS research ministers adopted the researchECOWAS sector.Research ForPolicy instance,during a meeting in 2012Cotonou, theBenin. ministersThis inhelped chargelay ofout researcha adoptedunified thestrategy. Through workshops and new coordinating policies, ''ECOWAS Researchhas Policy''worked whileto meetingtackle inchallenges Cotonou,limiting the societal impact of research activities in Beninthe subregion.<ref name=":0" />
