ECOWAS,WAEMU, EU, and Key Stakeholders Hold Meeting on Energy Sector Governance

By News Desk 

June 2, 2023

The ECOWAS Directorate of Energy and Mines organized on 30th May 2023 in Abuja, the fourth steering committee meeting of the Programme for Improving the Energy Sector Governance in West Africa (AGoSE-AO).

Speaking at the event, the representative of the Delegation of the European Union to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Mrs. Anastasia Oikonomou said that the EU-funded 32 million Euro AGoSE-AO program is a West Africa targeted governance tool, dedicated to make the West African energy architecture and its regional institutions fit for purpose, so that they can cope with the global challenges.

Representing the WAEMU Commission, Mr Yvon DOSSA, Head of Conventional Energy Division highlighted the importance of this vast programme, which contributes to strengthening the energy sector in West Africa, and stressed the commitment of its institution to spare no effort in contributing in the attainment of its objectives.

Mr. Bayaornibe Dabire, ECOWAS Director of Energy and Mines and chairman of the AGoSE-AO steering committee, urged all stakeholders within the energy sector to continue to work together and to forge a path towards enhanced governance, transparency, and accountability in the energy sector, hence paving the way for sustainable development and alleviating poverty in West Africa.

The meeting took stock of the current status of the programme implementation and provide clear guidance to the implementation team to ensure the smooth continuation of activities. The programme has been able to achieve the following: (i) the elaboration and adoption of ECOWAS Updated Energy Policy and ECOWAS Electricity Code, (iii) the design of the West African Energy Information System (WAEIS) officially launched by ECOWAS Ministers in charge of Energy in March 2023, (iii) the Construction and equipment of the WAPP Information and Coordination Center (ICC), (iv) the elaboration of access rules and detailed procedures for monitoring the regional electricity market, (v) the elaboration of three (3) Regional Renewable Energy strategies (Solar PV, Wind and Hydro), (vi) the elaboration and adoption of three (3) energy efficiency regional standards (electric comfort fans, TV sets and electric water heaters), one (1) regional labeling directive for electrical appliances and equipment, four (4) technical regulations to implement standards for efficient lighting, refrigerators and air conditioners, and four (4) regional PV mini-grid standards. Also, in the framework of the programme, twenty-five (25) scholarships have already been granted to students in the Region for sustainable energy Master courses under the ECOWAS-EU scholarship component.

The AGoSE-AO programme objective is to address barriers to access to modern and sustainable energy services within West Africa and contribute to poverty reduction by increasing the regional integration in the energy sector in West Africa. It has been designed within the framework of a cooperation agreement between the Commission of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS Commission), the Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and the Commission of the European Union (EU) under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The program was officially launched in April 2018 and will now end in April 2024 after an extension period of two years granted in April 2022.

In attendance of the meeting were : the ECOWAS Directorates of Energy and Mines and External Relations, the UEMOA Directorate of Energy and Mines, the West African Power pool (WAPP), the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA), the ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), as well the European Union Delegations to Nigeria, to Benin and to Burkina Faso, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Energy Charter Secretariat (ECS), British Council and NTU International A/S.