The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has initiated discussions with Energy China International to strengthen cooperation on regional energy infrastructure, as part of efforts to expand electricity access and improve power systems across West Africa.
The talks were held in Abuja, where officials from the ECOWAS Energy and Mines Directorate met with representatives of CEEC to advance dialogue on priority energy projects. The meeting also included participants from the West African Power Pool (WAPP), which oversees electricity generation and transmission coordination in the sub-region.
Deliberations focused on reviewing project pipelines, technical expertise and financing mechanisms aimed at accelerating development in the power sector. Both sides explored partnership opportunities and funding options for key ECOWAS initiatives covering electricity generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure.
Acting Director of Energy and Mines at ECOWAS, William Baidoe, outlined the Directorate’s mandate and ongoing programmes designed to improve energy access, including efforts to expand distribution networks and deploy energy storage systems to enhance grid stability.
Also speaking, Director of Planning, Investment Programming and Environmental Safeguards at WAPP, Kodjo Afidegnon, provided updates on flagship projects under the ECOWAS Master Plan for the Development of Power Generation and Transmission Infrastructure (2019–2033).
Key initiatives highlighted include the CLSG interconnection linking Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea; the North Core project connecting Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso and Benin; the OMVG interconnection linking Senegal, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau; and the Medium Backbone project connecting Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. These projects, Afidegnon noted, present significant investment opportunities for development partners and international energy firms.
On behalf of CEEC, General Manager Huang Aijun emphasised the company’s capabilities in both conventional and renewable energy, as well as grid expansion, power planning and transmission infrastructure. He reaffirmed the firm’s interest in supporting ECOWAS priority projects through technical expertise and diversified financing channels.
Both parties agreed to sustain engagement on the identified projects to assess their development status and define concrete areas for collaboration.
ECOWAS said the discussions underscore its commitment to building strategic partnerships and mobilising investments to enhance electricity access, strengthen grid reliability and advance sustainable infrastructure development across West Africa.
