Stella Omona The ECOWAS Parliament is set to convene a five-day delocalized joint committee meeting in Dakar, Senegal, from June 15 to 19, aimed at advancing renewable energy deployment and accelerating rural electrification across West Africa. The meeting, themed “Harnessing Renewable Energy for Rural Electrification and Empowerment of Rural Economies in the ECOWAS Region: The...
The ECOWAS Parliament is set to convene a five-day delocalized joint committee meeting in Dakar, Senegal, from June 15 to 19, aimed at advancing renewable energy deployment and accelerating rural electrification across West Africa. The meeting, themed “Harnessing Renewable Energy for Rural Electrification and Empowerment of Rural Economies in the ECOWAS Region: The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament,” will bring together parliamentarians, government officials, development partners, private sector stakeholders, civil society groups and energy experts to explore solutions for expanding access to sustainable energy in rural communities. The event is being jointly organized by the Parliament’s Committees on Energy and Mines; Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources; and Infrastructure under the Sixth Legislature. According to the Parliament in a statement on Sunday, the meeting comes at a critical time when millions of people across rural West Africa still lack reliable electricity, limiting access to education, healthcare, digital services and economic opportunities despite recent gains in electrification efforts. Participants will examine how decentralized renewable energy technologies, including solar mini-grids, hybrid energy systems and standalone solar installations, can help bridge the electricity access gap in underserved communities. Discussions will also focus on unlocking the region’s vast solar and hydropower potential and identifying measures to attract greater investment in renewable energy infrastructure. The joint committee will review key regional energy frameworks, including the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP), the Energy Efficiency Policy (EEEP), the updated ECOWAS Energy Policy and the Regional Electricity Market (REM). Delegates will also assess the contributions of the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, the West African Power Pool and the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority to regional energy development. As part of the programme, lawmakers will undertake a field visit to a renewable energy installation in Senegal, where they will interact with local communities, entrepreneurs, women and youth groups to gain firsthand insight into the socio-economic impact of rural electrification projects. At the conclusion of the meeting, members are expected to adopt recommendations aimed at strengthening regional electrification initiatives, enhancing investment in renewable energy infrastructure and reinforcing parliamentary oversight of ECOWAS energy policies and programmes. The ECOWAS Parliament serves as the representative assembly of the peoples of the Community and provides a platform for dialogue, consultation and consensus-building among member states. The Parliament comprises 97 seats distributed among ECOWAS member countries based on population, with Nigeria holding 35 seats, Ghana eight, Côte d’Ivoire seven, and Guinea and Senegal six seats each. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
