16TH MEETING OF ECOWAS MINISTERS OF ENERGY OPENS IN ACCRA, GHANA, TO CONSIDER KEY COMMUNITY LEGISLATIONS TO BOOST WEST AFRICA’S ELECTRICITY MARKET

16TH MEETING OF ECOWAS MINISTERS OF ENERGY OPENS IN ACCRA, GHANA, TO CONSIDER KEY COMMUNITY LEGISLATIONS TO BOOST WEST AFRICA’S ELECTRICITY MARKET

Accra, Ghana, 22 October 2026: The 16th Meeting of ECOWAS Ministers in charge of energy across ECOWAS Member States opened in Accra, Ghana, today. The meeting brings together Ministers and representatives of the energy ministries of ECOWAS Member States, the ECOWAS Commission and its institutions, as well as the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU.) During the one-day meeting, the Energy Ministers will consider for adoption key regulatory instruments aimed at strengthening the regional electricity market, advancing energy storage deployment, and reinforcing the market’s financial sustainability.

The instruments under consideration are the Draft Directive on the Deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Other Energy Storage Technologies, and the Draft Regulation to amend Regulation C/REG.14/12/23 on the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market Levy, alongside five memoranda submitted for the information of the Ministers. The instruments and memoranda were reviewed during the ECOWAS Energy Experts meeting held on 20-21 October 2026.

In his opening remarks, Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization at the ECOWAS Commission, Hon. Amin Amidu SULEMANI, expressed confidence that the decisions taken by Ministers, guided by recommendations from their experts, would advance renewable energy development and enable regional institutions to discharge their responsibilities effectively. Declaring the meeting open, Ghana’s Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Hon. Dr. John Abdulai JINAPOR (MP), emphasized the importance of building a regional energy market founded on clear rules, investment-friendly policies and reliable infrastructure, with the benefits of regional cooperation extending across all ECOWAS Member States.
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Accra, Ghana,
22 October, 2026.