2022 AWEaP Webinar Series 10 – Report

To solve the region’s electricity problems, the West African Power Pool has been trying to connect a single power market. The idea is that by creating a sizable, united power market, West Africa will be able to draw more investment, enabling the development of natural gas and hydropower plants. As these developments take place, new value chains will emerge and entrepreneurs can identify segments to participate as value-adding service providers for products, services, solutions and systems.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) members have experienced significant economic growth of 5% to 8% annually since 2010, but the region’s insufficient and unstable energy supply has remained a significant barrier to growth. There are more than 340 million people living in the region, yet only roughly 42% of them have access to power. Greater cross-border utilisation of renewable energy sources and other energy resources could boost and stabilise the electricity supply in the single electricity market represented by the 15 ECOWAS member states.

For our October webinar we invited the following stakeholders to share insights into this exciting West African electricity market:

Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs):

OEMs design and manufacture products, services, solutions and systems sought after by utilities and different large power users in the energy and power sector. We invite them to share trends in electricity system digitisation, decarbonisation and decentralisation. We invite them to showcase how they enable access to technology for SMMEs, especially women-owned companies. Rockwell Automation and General Electric shared presentations on channel partnerships and leading technology for the electricity sector in the region.

Electricity Utilities

Electricity utilities SENELEC and CI Energies shared insights into their electricity strategies and their electricity infrastructure and regulatory reform. Utilities play a profound role in creating a market for products, services, solutions and systems for the entire electricity value chain.

Industry Associations

Industry associations play a critical role in building credible market networks and advocating for different policy reforms in favour of socio-economic development. We invite industry associations and non-profit entities to share information on programmes they are implementing to advance gender mainstreaming. Women for Sustainable Energy and Climate Action shared their programmes, which cover West and Central Africa.