KEY POINTS
- ECOWAS targets a 48 percent renewable energy share in the regional electricity mix by 2030.
- Over 190 million West Africans lack electricity access and rural electrification averages only 12 percent.
- ECOWAS also aims to cut electricity losses of 35 to 40 percent caused by outdated infrastructure across the region.
West Africa is rich in solar, wind and hydroelectric potential. It is also home to over 190 million people who have no access to electricity. That paradox sat at the center of a high-level meeting in Dakar this week.
The ECOWAS Commission has set a target of raising the share of renewable energy sources, including large hydropower, to 48 percent of the regional electricity mix by 2030. The target was disclosed at the ongoing delocalized meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Joint Committee on Energy and Mines in Dakar, Senegal on Wednesday.
Abdou Kolley, Director of Cabinet in the Office of the President of the ECOWAS Commission, represented by Williams Baidoe, Acting Director of Energy and Mines, said the Commission was committed to expanding access to affordable and reliable electricity across the sub-region.
He said renewable energy currently accounts for less than 20 percent of West Africa’s electricity mix. Rural electrification averages only 12 percent across the region. Over 190 million people remain without power.
A policy framework already in place
ECOWAS has built the policy architecture to support its ambitions. The updated ECOWAS Energy Policy, the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy and the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy together form the framework guiding the region’s transition.
The energy efficiency policy targets a specific problem. Electricity losses across West Africa are currently estimated at between 35 and 40 percent due to obsolete infrastructure. Fixing those losses is as important as adding new generation capacity. You cannot build a clean energy future on a grid that wastes nearly half of what it produces.
Key institutions driving implementation include the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority, the West African Power Pool and the West African Gas Pipeline Authority. Baidoe said these bodies are working to strengthen regional energy integration and develop the infrastructure needed to deliver affordable and sustainable energy services.
What the parliament is being asked to do
The Dakar meeting’s theme is “Harnessing Renewable Energy for Rural Electrification and Empowerment of Rural Economies in the ECOWAS Region: The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament.” The framing is deliberate. It is not enough for the Commission to set targets. Legislators must translate those targets into national laws, budgets and frameworks that actually move capital into communities that need it.
Fourth Deputy Speaker Billay Tunkara put it plainly. “Renewable energy is not merely a technical response to electricity demand. It is a key driver in transforming economic activities, particularly in rural areas.” He called for stronger regional green funds, decentralized mini-grids and greater South-South cooperation to build local technical capacity. The five-day meeting runs through June 19 and is expected to produce formal recommendations for accelerating the region’s clean energy transition.
