FREETOWN, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank Group has approved 137 million U.S. dollars to support digital integration and job creation in Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone under a new regional initiative.

The funding represents the second phase of the Western Africa Regional Digital Integration Program (WARDIP), designed to expand digital infrastructure, improve the business environment, and enable companies to operate more easily across regional markets.

According to a statement issued Tuesday by the World Bank, the initiative will help connect about 5.2 million people to new or improved broadband internet services and enable 5.4 million additional users to access digitally enabled services across the three countries.

"This new initiative positions West Africa to accelerate economic transformation by creating jobs, strengthening resilience and enabling a more integrated regional digital market," said Michel Rogy, the World Bank's digital and artificial intelligence regional practice director.

The program will invest in expanding resilient broadband networks, strengthening international connectivity, and boosting data-center capacity to support digital innovation and improve public and private-sector service delivery.

The WARDIP2 will also support digital skills training for about 9,000 people, including women and youth, while creating opportunities in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital entrepreneurship.

The initiative is also expected to strengthen digital entrepreneurship ecosystems by supporting more than 140 startups, including women-led enterprises, with seed financing, market access, and cross-border digital trade opportunities.

Launched in 2023, the broader WARDIP program works with partners including the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States to promote a single digital market in West Africa and expand internet access across the region.