ECOWAS Parliament Begins Renewable Energy Meeting in Senegal

The ECOWAS Parliament has begans a week-long delocalised joint committee meeting in Dakar, Senegal, to address West Africa’s renewable energy and electricity challenges.

According to a parliamentary statement issued on Sunday, the meeting is themed: “Harnessing Renewable Energy for Rural Electrification and Empowerment of Rural Economies in the ECOWAS Region: The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament.”

The gathering, organised by the parliament’s Joint Committee on Energy and Mines; Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources; and Infrastructure, is expected to develop strategies for expanding renewable energy deployment and accelerating rural electrification across the region.

“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, despite recent progress in rural electrification around the sub-region.

“ECOWAS has committed to achieving universal access to sustainable and affordable energy by 2030, and parliamentary action is increasingly central to that ambition,” the statement said.

Lawmakers will review key regional frameworks, including the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy, Energy Efficiency Policy, updated ECOWAS Energy Policy and the Regional Electricity Market. They will also examine the contributions of the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, the West African Power Pool and the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority.

A major highlight of the programme is a field visit to a renewable energy installation in Senegal, where parliamentarians will engage with beneficiary communities, local entrepreneurs, women and youth to gain firsthand insight into how rural electrification is transforming livelihoods and supporting local enterprise.

“At the end of the week-long meeting, Members are expected to adopt recommendations to reinforce regional rural electrification efforts, mobilise investment in renewable energy infrastructure and strengthen parliamentary oversight of ECOWAS energy policies and programmes,” the statement added.