West Africa is taking steps towards greater energy access and cooperation with focus on regional regulatory authority and expanding electricity interconnections, according to ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray.
Speaking at the Launch of ECOWAS 50th Anniversary Celebration on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, Dr. Touray showcased the strides made by ECOWAS within the regional bloc in the energy sector.
He stated that “The ECOWAS Regional Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority, has been established in Ghana with a mandate to regulate cross-border electricity exchange among ECOWAS member states.”
In addition, he announced that electricity interconnection has been established in all 14 continental countries of the region, expressing hope that the completion of the Information and Coordination Centre of West African Power Pool “will enable member states to buy and sell electricity within the region.”
Dr. Touray said these efforts being complimented by the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project launched by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, (ECREEE) and seeks to facilitate access to off-grid electricity for households, businesses, and public institutions.
He further said ECOWAS alongside international partners have embarked upon several generation and interconnection projects within the region.
“These include electrification projects in the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Mozambique through the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Access Project, ECOREAP.”
Dr. Omar Alieu Touray underscored the importance of these initiatives for socio-economic progress in the region.
He also pointed to other programmes he said are good reasons for the ECOWAS 50th Anniversary Celebration.
“I can go on to cite several such programmes, such as the West African Regional Digital Integration, Regional Regulatory Frameworks on Roaming, ECOWAS Competition and Investment Regimes, ECOWAS Intervention through WAHO, the West African Health Organization, on Ebola, on COVID, on MPox, as well as the initiatives in the area of education, including vocational education.”
“We can also cite the Regional Food Reserves and Humanitarian Initiatives, the ECOWAS Rise Offensive and Climate Smart Agricultural Projects. All these programmes and initiatives give us hope and therefore constitute a reason to celebrate.”
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