The ECOWAS region has taken a pioneering role in the promotion of sustainable energy technologies. In July 2013, the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government adopted two path-breaking policies - the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) which aims to increase the share of renewable energy in the region’s overall electricity mix to 48% in 2030 and the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policies (EEEP) which aims to implement measures that free 2000 MW of power generation capacity by 2020. Through the policies, the share of the rural population served by decentralized renewable electricity services (e.g. mini-grids and stand-alone systems) should increase to 22% by 2020 and 25% by 2030. They also aim to achieve universal access to safe, clean, affordable, efficient and sustainable cooking for the entire population of ECOWAS, by 2030; to phase out inefficient incandescent lamps by 2020; Reduce losses in electricity distribution to under 10% by 2020 and adopt regional wide standards and labels for equipments and buildings.

The implementation of the policies represents the ECOWAS contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Energy For All (SE4ALL) objectives. At the request of ECOWAS Heads of States, the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) in close cooperation with partners, is currently supporting ECOWAS Member States in the implementation of the regional policies as well the SE4ALL Initiative in West Africa. ECREEE is supporting all 15 member states in developing the national SE4ALL Action Agendas and Investment Prospectus and is implementing a large number of programs addressing policy, capacity building, awareness raising, project development and implementation, rural electrification, gender and climate change issues. A first regional Gender and Energy policy is currently under development in order to address the energy challenges through gender responsive measures.

Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS)