This UNDP / IPAO study aims to provide a better understanding of e-governance practices in West Africa, focusing in particular on citizen participation. It includes an introduction to e-participation challenges in West Africa, case studies of initiatives in this area, and guidelines and recommendations for improving participation in the region through ICTs. Despite the opportunities e-participation offers, it also introduces new challenges, particularly for West African countries. Governments have demonstrated a real willingness to transform relationships between government services and their users, particularly by strengthening the use of ICT and by offering information services online. Civil society is also committed to implementing a number of initiatives to improve democratic governance using ICT. However, those factors which would encourage genuine citizen participation in decision-making through the technical tools put in place by governments or even civil society itself are not fully instituted and developed. It is therefore essential to emphasize the crucial importance of establishing innovative participation channels and citizen-centric policies for the global effort to promote human development.