- ECOWAS urged deeper regional cooperation to expand electricity access and scale renewables, noting that 43% of West Africans still lack power.
- The bloc aims to increase renewables to 48% of the energy mix by 2030 to strengthen energy security and investor confidence.
ECOWAS Parliament Speaker Memounatou Ibrahima set out West Africa’s priorities on electricity access and the energy transition during the 16th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency in Abu Dhabi from January 10–12, 2026.
She addressed IRENA’s Legislators and Regulators Forum and drew attention to the gap between strong renewable energy potential and limited electricity access. Nearly 43 percent of the region’s population still lacks power.
Ibrahima said West Africa must deepen cooperation to close the access gap. She called for interconnected national grids through the West African Power Pool (WAPP), harmonised regulations and a regional renewable energy policy.
The region aims to lift renewables to 48 percent of the energy mix by 2030. The target would strengthen energy security and improve investor confidence.
Ibrahima also noted the ECOWAS Parliament’s oversight role. She said the institution monitors energy policies, reviews implementation and reflects citizen concerns in regional decision-making.
In a separate development, Lomé hosted a two-day Women in Energy Network-Africa meeting focused on reducing gender inequality in the energy sector. The event operated under the theme “Addressing Gender Inequalities in Energy: Partnerships for Sustainability.”