In 2015, Capital Market regulators in the West African sub-region agreed to forge a common association to foster market integration in the region as part of the West African Capital Market Integration Program. The West Africa Securities Regulators Association (WASRA) was born out of a quest to establish a mutually acceptable basis for consultations and cooperation by Capital Market regulators in West Africa.

At the inaugural meeting of WASRA in July 2015, member countries executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate information sharing, cooperation and harmonisation of rules, regulations and policies governing cross-border transactions in the West Africa sub-region. Since signing the MoU in 2015, three countries in the West African region have signed on to the WASRA Charter.

WASRA Member countries are committed to the achievement of the West African Capital Market Integration (WACMI) program which is expected to facilitate the linking of all WACMI member exchanges in a virtual West African Securities Market (WASM), and access by Qualified West Africa Brokers to listed securities and related market information to enable them execute transactions.