ECOWAS Ministers of Energy and Hydrocarbons Meeting in Abuja Focuses on Key Energy Initiatives
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
A pivotal Joint Meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Energy and Hydrocarbons, with extended participation from Morocco and Mauritania, began at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja on November 1, 2024.
The one-day gathering drew ministers, key stakeholders, and experts to address pressing regional energy issues, aligning on initiatives that promise to shape the energy landscape across West Africa and beyond.
Critical topics on the agenda are aimed at transforming energy access and sustainability in the region.
Ministers will deliberate on the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP), considering both the Draft Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) and the Draft Host Government Agreement (HGA) designed to facilitate the pipeline’s development.
Also in focus is the establishment of the ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Facility (EREEEF), along with a draft directive on solar photovoltaic technologies—key moves in ECOWAS’s ongoing commitment to renewable energy adoption and efficiency improvements.
Discussions are also set to explore plans for the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF 2024). The gathering is expected to end with the adoption of the ministers’ recommendations, advancing ECOWAS’s energy ambitions in the wake of the global energy transition.
Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas) and Chair of the Joint Meeting, Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, at the opening ceremony, commended the collaborative efforts that made the meeting possible.
He thanked the ECOWAS Commission, Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Hon. Adebayo Adelabu, the ECOWAS Ministers of Energy and Hydrocarbons, and the governments of Morocco and Mauritania for their dedication to regional energy progress.
President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, represented by the ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitisation, Mr. Sediko Douka, wad full of praises for the Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and the people of Nigeria for hosting the event.
According to him, the welcoming atmosphere and thorough planning underscored Nigeria’s commitment to ECOWAS’s shared energy objectives.
As ECOWAS member states and partners deliberate on these projects, the outcomes of the meeting could mark substantial progress in the region’s energy strategy, propelling West Africa towards a future of sustainable, accessible energy for all
