ECOWAS power project reaches 500,000 people in three countries
- ECOWAS says its $225m Regional Electricity Access Project has brought power to nearly 500,000 people.
- The World Bank-funded scheme covered 490 communities in The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Mali.
- Mali asked for more time to finish outstanding work as the project's final meeting held in Abuja.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says its Regional Electricity Access Project has brought electricity to nearly 500,000 people in 490 communities across The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Mali.
The project is worth $225 million and is financed by the World Bank. It is meant to widen access to power in underserved communities and deepen energy integration across West Africa.
The figures were announced at the 10th and final Steering Committee meeting of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Access Project (ECOWAS-REAP), which opened in Abuja on Tuesday. The meeting is reviewing how the project was carried out and how the gains can be sustained after it closes.
Progress and unfinished work
Arkadius Koumoin, Director of Energy and Mines at the ECOWAS Commission and chairman of the steering committee, said the project made significant progress despite difficulties, including the COVID-19 pandemic and institutional disruptions.
He said the project's success should be judged by how many households are actually connected to electricity, not just by activities completed. He called for firm decisions to ensure the project closes responsibly.
The three countries restated their commitment to finishing outstanding work. Mali asked for an extension so it can complete what is left of its share.
The officials at the meeting included Gallo Saidy, Managing Director of The Gambia's National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC); Pedro Jeus de Oliviera, representing Guinea-Bissau's energy ministry; and Oussouby Mary dit Ousmane Diarra, Mali's National Director of Energy.
The Abuja meeting is expected to produce agreement on the remaining steps needed to lock in the project's gains and keep power flowing to the communities it has reached. ECOWAS ties the project to its Vision 2050 plan, which aims to turn regional investment into visible improvements in people's lives.
For Nigerians, the meeting matters because it shows how the regional body is handling donor-funded projects and whether promises of power reach ordinary homes. Nigeria is not one of the three beneficiary countries in this project.
What happens next
Participating countries and the ECOWAS Commission are expected to agree on outstanding actions before the project closes. Mali's request for an extension will be part of those talks.
