ECOWAS Begins Week-Long Energy Summit In Dakar

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has convened a week-long meeting in Dakar Senegal, to address West Africa’s pressing renewable energy and electricity challenges as the region seeks to accelerate rural electrification and expand access to sustainable power.

The meeting, which began on Monday, is being held by the Parliament’s Joint Committee on Energy and Mines, Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, and Infrastructure. Participants include regional parliamentarians, ECOWAS institutions, government officials, development partners, private-sector operators, civil society groups and energy specialists.

In a statement issued ahead of the meeting, the ECOWAS Parliament said the discussions come at a critical moment for the region, where millions of people in rural communities still lack reliable electricity despite recent progress in electrification efforts.

“The meeting comes at a pivotal moment, when millions of people in rural West Africa continue to lack reliable electricity, with direct consequences for agriculture, education, healthcare, digital inclusion and economic productivity,” the statement said.

The regional bloc has set a target of achieving universal access to sustainable and affordable energy by 2030 and lawmakers say parliamentary action is essential to achieving that goal.

The Dakar discussions will focus on how decentralised renewable energy systems including solar mini-grids, hybrid energy systems and stand-alone solar installations can help bridge the electricity gap in underserved communities.

Delegates are also expected to review key regional frameworks such as the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP), the Energy Efficiency Policy (EEEP), the updated ECOWAS Energy Policy and the Regional Electricity Market (REM).

Other institutions whose roles will be examined include the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA).

A major highlight of the programme will be a field visit to a renewable energy installation in Senegal, where lawmakers will interact with beneficiary communities, local entrepreneurs, women and youth to assess the real-life impact of rural electrification projects.

At the end of the meeting, the joint committee is expected to adopt recommendations aimed at strengthening regional electrification programmes, mobilising investment in renewable energy infrastructure and enhancing parliamentary oversight of ECOWAS energy policies and projects.