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ECOWAS To Reinforce Electricity Market to Solve Energy Problem, Underdevelopment in West Africa
ECOWAS To Reinforce Electricity Market to Solve Energy Problem, Underdevelopment in West Africa
By: Michael Mike
The Economic Communities Of West African States (ECOWAS) has said it is reinforcing the electricity market in West Africa to boost contractors ability to buy power to improve energy generation and industrialization of the sub-region.
Speaking at the 7th Edition of the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF2022) in Abuja, ECOWAS President, Dr. Omar Touray, who was represented by ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Sediko Douka,lamented that 50% of Africans have access to electricity, but less than 10% are accessible to those in the rural areas.
He said: “The ECOWAS Commission and its specialised energy Agencies are working tirelessly to address these challenges. Our strategic objective is to integrate the operation of the Community’s national power grids into a unified regional electricity market to ensure a stable, regular, and reliable supply of competitively priced electricity to the citizens of the ECOWAS member States in the medium term. We plan to achieve this objective by promoting and developing power generation and transmission facilities and equipment and coordinating electricity trade among the ECOWAS Member States.”
Touray added that: “It is the reason that we launched the regional electricity market since June 2018 and the ECOWAS Statutory Bodies adopted a Master Plan for the per development of regional power generation and transmission infrastructure 2019-2033 aiming to generate 16000 MW and construct 23000 km interconnection electric lines. It is a portfolio of 75 regional projects amounting 37 billion USD. The generation will promote the utilisation of renewable energy and natural gas, very abundant in our region.
“The implementation of this Master Plan and the previous ones reaches a result where we have presently 13 countries interconnected; the remaining one country will be interconnected by the end of this year. Also, through the support of our traditional technical and financial partners, the WAPP Information and Coordination Centre (ICC) located in Cotonou, Benin will be operational by the end of this year and will serve as the regional electricity market operator, i.e. a place where stakeholders can sell and buy electricity by next year the reason.”
He revealed that: “The ECOWAS Commission is also working on improving energy access for the ECOWAS rural population and actively promoting the deployment of off-grid energy solutions, such as clean energy mini-grids and stand-alone technologies.
“To this end, several regional projects are at the stage of implementation within the region. Our objective is to have an access consolidated rate of 70% by 2030.”
He said: “Following the adoption of the regional policies on renewable energy and energy efficiency by the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in July 2013, which tasked the Region to achieve ambitious targets by 2020 and 2030, this Forum rightly affords us a significant opportunity as a region and stakeholders to take stock of progress to-date. Indeed,
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“The ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy, aims to increase the share of renewable energy in the region’s overall electricity mix to 48% in 2030; and the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy, aims to implement measures that free 2000 MW of power generation capacity and in the medium term, more than double the annual improvement in energy efficiency.”
He however lamented that: “To date, only half of the ECOWAS citizens have access to modern energy services; hence they are consistently deprived of the full benefits of electricity for socio-economic development, which, if not addressed, would hinder the Region from achieving its Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
He said: “That is why we launched the regional electricity market and will generate over 60,000 megawatts of electricity with over 23,000 distribution points.
“By next year we will have electricity market where contractors can buy electricity.” He added that: “We are developing a new energy policy for the region that will be operational by June next year.”
The Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in his opening remarks, explained that the Nigerian energy transition plan seeks to tackle the twin renewable energy issues; climate change and emissions.
Osinbajo, who was represented by Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu said: “Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan is a prime example of the needed evolution of policies to deliver both the growth in energy consumption necessary for development and the climate response required for the preservation of our planet. Our Energy Transition Plan seeks to tackle the dual crises of energy poverty and climate change, and deliver universal energy access (SDG7) by 2030 and net-zero by 2060. It is also a bolder articulation of our commitment to sustainability and renewables as earlier proposed in the Electricity Vision 30:30:30, which aims to provide 30GW of electricity by the year 2030 with renewable energy contributing at least 30% to the energy mix. While Nigeria led the charge in becoming the first African country to develop such a detailed Energy Transition Plan, we know the captured ambitions are not unique to us.”
The Nigeria’s VP while commending Regional sustainable energy policies like the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) and the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy (EEEP), said “recent global events reveal that we have another chance to determine the future of energy development and use within the West African Region, and I firmly believe this forum presents the opportunity to deepen our cooperation within the Region and Africa at large, to speak with one voice for our benefit at a time when energy issues are being renegotiated. As members of the West African community, we must understand our situations, properly identify our challenges, set our developmental goals, and determine the pathway for achieving them in a sustainable manner. This is a crucial time for us to collaborate as neighbours and work interdependently, leveraging on our cooperation and abundant energy resources to secure for ourselves and our children a sustainable energy market for socio-economic development of the Region. Africa must speak with one voice when it comes to energy and West Africa countries must see themselves as neighbours for economic and social and cultural development.”
Osinbajo, who thereafter officially declared open the event, said: “We must increase our investment in renewable energy.”
He noted that: “The importance of energy to human development cannot be over emphasised. Its relevance extends beyond socio-economic development to include security and sovereignty, foreign policy as well as international trade. The economic growth of nations is typically correlated with growth in energy consumption. It is clear that the survival of nations depends on the exploitation and utilisation of energy resources.
“At the same time, energy in the way it has been historically produced and consumed is a key driver of ecological challenges with important implications for the survival of our planet.”
Osinbajo added that: “The development and use of energy is dynamic and energy policies are therefore continuously changing driven by affordability, efficiency of energy resources, energy security, international cooperation and trade and pressing realities like climate change. Globally, we are committed to limiting the warming of our dear planet by limiting CO2 emissions which largely come from energy consumption. However, this must be achieved alongside rapid development particularly for African nations.”
Also speaking, the Ambassador of Spain to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Juan Ignacio Sell, stated that: “This gathering affords member countries to share ideas and create awareness on our quest to achieve the SDGs in West Africa.”
He however lamented that: “We are failing short of the target we set for renewable and green energy,” insisting that: “Energy poverty and energy security needs to be addressed.”
He said the EU would assist the region in infrastructure and capacity building.
The 7th Edition of the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF2022) by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power Nigeria. ECREEE is a specialized agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with a public mandate to promote sustainable energy markets in the ECOWAS region. The priority activities of the Centre include sustainable policy development, capacity building, knowledge management, advocacy, and investment promotion. ECREEE instituted the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF) in 2017 to support the investment and policy initiatives of ECOWAS Member States in the regional sustainable energy sector. ESEF has since become the must-to-attend energy event in West Africa, providing a veritable platform for networking and forging effective partnerships that will accelerate the implementation of priority energy projects and ensure transformative progress towards attaining the ECOWAS region’s sustainable energy objectives.
ECOWAS To Reinforce Electricity Market to Solve Energy Problem, Underdevelopment in West Africa
GM Yobe Mills Explains Why the Company Is Operating at 50 Percent Capacity
By: Yahaya Wakili
The General Manager of Yobe Flour and Feed Mills Co. Ltd., Potiskum, Yobe State, Alhaji Saminu Utai, has revealed that the company has started the production at almost 50 to 60 percent capacity, noting that the company cannot produce up to 100% right now.
He, however, said that very soon the company will achieve the production capacity at 100 percent.
The general manager disclosed this recently to newsmen in his office. He said, “When I resumed this office, there was no any production in this company, so I thank Almighty God that from this period, January to date, we are starting the production atalmost 50 to 60 percent capacity.”
The raw materials, we buy them normally at Maiduguri, which is the Biu area; we buy them in Gombe, which is the Kumo; and we buy them from Taraba, which is to come and process the product here, and we have customers in Geidam, Damaturu, and Azare, and then I have them in Kano and Maiduguri. All these customers patronize the product of the flour mill.
“Because, if you look at the problems of this company, they spent a lot of years without any production. When I resumed this office, I sat down with the staff just to figure out how to get customers in this company, but the staff told me that you have the previous customers, one in Kano and some of them in Geidam,” Utai added.
“I start moving to those various places and discuss with the customers, and they said they did not buy the product until they saw the samples. I just came back to the company and processed the samples, and then I got and gave them so that they started buying the product, and we have 50 kg, 25 kg, and 10 kg, and the type of product we have is maize, flour, and animal feed.”
He said the challenges are only two things: the capital, which is the running cost of the face of the company, and the customers. I talked to His Excellency; there are no running costs in this company. He told me that I should go and write it and send it. When I wrote it, His Excellency approved it and sent the money to start running the affairs of the company.
According to Utai, before the Executive Governor came into power, there was not any company that existed in the state, but we thank God when Governor Buni came to power in 2019; he sat down to think about all the companies that had not existed in the state, like Yobe Flour and Feed Mills, the Aluminum Roofing company, Dafurga Spring Water, and the Woven Sacks company, among others; he resuscitated them all immediately.
“We thank Almighty Allah for giving Yobeans His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni CON COMN, as our governor, and call on the entire people of Yobe State to continue praying for him to complete his tenure successfully.
GM Yobe Mills Explains Why the Company Is Operating at 50 Percent Capacity
CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY AND EXTORTION FOILED, FAKE DOLLAR NOTES AND VEHICLE RECOVERED
By: Our Reporter
The Yobe State Police Command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, CP Emmanuel Ado, psc, fdc, has made a significant breakthrough in the fight against crime, arresting three suspects involved in organized crime.
The Potiskum Divisional Police Headquarters successfully investigated and recovered a stolen vehicle in a case of alleged criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, misappropriation, and extortion.
On August 2, 2025, at about 1100hrs, a report was lodged by Maina Abdullahi, 37, of Old Army Barracks Area, Potiskum, claiming that a Toyota Venza vehicle valued at N17 million belonging to his elder brother was forcefully collected from him. However, investigations revealed that the complainant was deceived and lured to Azare by Mohammed Halilu Bello, 54, of Indabo Area, Damagum, Fune LGA, and Mohammed Usman, 35, of Kano State, under the pretext of arranging a money-making opportunity.
Through diligent investigation and intelligence tracking, the vehicle was recovered at Makurdi, Benue State. The police also recovered suspected fake dollar notes.
The CP has directed that the suspects be charged to court for prosecution, and commended the officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and dedication to duty.
CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY AND EXTORTION FOILED, FAKE DOLLAR NOTES AND VEHICLE RECOVERED
CCDI, Swiss Embassy Commission Refurbished Toilets and Libraries in Abuja Schools
By: Michael Mike
In a significant step towards improving hygiene and learning conditions in public schools, Create That Change Development Initiative (CCDI), in collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland, has commissioned newly refurbished facilities at two schools in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
The projects, unveiled at LEA Pilot Science Primary School and LEA Phase III Primary School, include a reconstructed 12-stall toilet block and two fully refurbished libraries.
They mark the first phase of CCDI’s Public-School Revival Initiative (PSRI), an intervention designed to restore dignity, enhance sanitation, and provide inclusive learning spaces for Nigerian children.
Speaking at the commissioning, the Executive Director of CCDI, Mrs. Sharon Ayeni, described access to clean toilets as a fundamental right rather than a privilege.
“Access to clean toilets is a basic right, not a luxury. We are grateful to our partners at the Swiss Embassy for supporting this project. Together, we are uplifting schools that need it most and investing in the brighter futures of children,” Ayeni said.
She explained that the project was inspired by CCDI’s earlier outreach programme, Start Smart September, where pupils at the schools identified toilet and library facilities as their most urgent needs.
According to her, one of the schools’ toilet blocks had been abandoned for nearly two decades, earning the nickname “haunted house” among pupils.
The Deputy Ambassador of Switzerland, Mr. Sayer Rouhani, who represented the Swiss Embassy, joined CCDI to officially commission the facilities.
For the Headteacher of LEA Primary School Phase III, Mr. Abdel Liza Njibri, the intervention was nothing short of a rescue.
“For more than 10 years, this school did not have a functional toilet. It is God that sent CCDI and the Swiss Embassy to us. They gave us a 12-stall toilet, refurbished our library, connected water, and even sponsored some of our less privileged pupils by paying their school fees and providing books and bags. We are sincerely grateful,” he said.
Also reflecting on the project, Ms. Oluwamu Mirayo Ame, a CCDI volunteer who was once a pupil of the school, said the initiative was deeply personal.
“Over 20 years ago, when I was in this school, the toilet was an eyesore that we all believed was haunted. Returning here and seeing it transformed into a clean, safe facility is a dream come true. Now children, especially girls, will not have to leave school during the day to relieve themselves,” she said.
The initiative aligns with Nigeria’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) agenda, which seeks to improve child health, learning outcomes, and dignity in underserved communities.
It also builds on CCDI’s earlier efforts in July 2025, when the organisation delivered two eight-stall toilet facilities to LEA Primary School, Kabusa, and LEA Nomadic Primary School, Apo Dutse.
Create That Change Development Initiative (CCDI) is a Nigerian registered non-governmental organisation committed to transforming the lives of children through interventions in education, health, and community development.
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