The ECOWAS Parliament will open a five-day Delocalized Joint Committee Meeting in Dakar, Senegal, to chart strategies for scaling up renewable energy deployment and accelerating rural electrification across the region.
The meeting is expected to bring together Members of Parliament, ECOWAS institutional representatives, government officials, development partners, private sector actors, civil society organizations, and energy experts.
It will take place from 15th to 19th June 2026 under the theme: “Harnessing Renewable Energy for Rural Electrification and Empowerment of Rural Economies in the ECOWAS Region: The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament.”
The meeting will be conducted jointly by the Committee on Energy and Mines; Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources; and Infrastructure, under the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament.
This gathering comes at a pivotal moment, as 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 across 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,” said the ECOWAS Parliament.
According to the regional legislature, discussions will examine how decentralized renewable energy systems—including solar mini-grids, hybrid energy systems, and stand-alone solar installations—can more effectively bridge the electricity access gap in underserved communities.
The Parliament noted that West Africa holds vast untapped solar and hydropower potential. The meeting will assess progress to date, map existing constraints, and identify concrete pathways for scaling up regional investment.
The Joint Committee will also review key regional frameworks, including the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP), the Energy Efficiency Policy (EEEP), the updated ECOWAS Energy Policy, and the Regional Electricity Market (REM), alongside the contributions of ECREEE, the West African Power Pool (WAPP), and the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA).
A highlight of the program will be a field visit to a renewable energy installation in Senegal, where Members of Parliament will engage directly with beneficiary communities, local entrepreneurs, women, and youth groups—gaining firsthand insight into how rural electrification transforms livelihoods and drives local enterprise.
At the end of the week-long meeting, Members are expected to adopt recommendations to reinforce regional rural electrification efforts, mobilize investment in renewable energy infrastructure, and strengthen parliamentary oversight of ECOWAS energy policies and programs.
