Energy Ministers from ECOWAS Member States convened in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, last week, and officially endorsed three crucial documents which would be presented to the regional Council of Ministers during its next session scheduled for December 2023 in Abuja, Nigeria.
Energy News Africa reports that the three validated documents will become integral components of the established legal framework governing the development and regulation of the regional power market.
They are; Directive for the Harmonization of Licensing Criteria and Authorisation to Participate in the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market: Rules on the Surveillance of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market: and Rules on the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market Levy:
Additionally, the ministers received updates on the progress of studies for a single gas pipeline project for the ECOWAS region, which involves merging the West Africa Gas Pipeline Extension Project (WAGPEP) and the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project (NMGP).
The ministers also discussed the ECOWAS Regional Green Hydrogen Strategy and its action plans for 2023-2030 and 2031-2050. They endorsed the strategy and called on the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) to mobilize technical and financial partners to support its implementation.
Furthermore, the ministers pledged to facilitate the translation of the updated ECOWAS Energy Policy into national action plans.
The ministerial meeting featured addresses by Mr. Sédiko Douka, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalization, and Mr. Samou Seidou Adambi, the Minister of Energy, Water, and Mines of Benin Republic.
