Fostering the development of a regional electricity market for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Support to ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA)

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA) is mandated to regulate cross-border electricity exchanges, create an enabling environment for investment in regional power projects, and provide technical support to the electricity sector regulators of ECOWAS member states of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

We support ERERA in its mission to implement effective regulatory mechanisms contributing to the development of a regional electricity market. This involves assisting with drafting rules and preparing a roadmap for access to cross-border grid capacity and domestic grids, and defining and revising rules and proceedings for market surveillance. We also help draft a regional directive on harmonizing the organisation of national electricity markets and facilitating interactions with other sub-regional organisations and non-ECOWAS countries involved in the operation of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) regional market.

Other ongoing and planned activities include assisting with annual audits of the regional electricity market, harmonizing the regulation of renewable energy in ECOWAS member states, preparing a technical audit of ERERA, and developing a communication policy and strategy for the organisation.