In July 2013, ECOWAS Heads of State approved the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) and the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy (EEPE). ECOWAS Energy Ministers also expressed their commitment to working towards achieving the SEforALL goals in West Africa.

In the subsequent phase of implementation of these regional policies, all ECOWAS Member States have developed their National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAP), National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAP) and their SEforALL Action Programs (collectively known as the National Sustainable Energy Action Plans). These plans should help achieve regional goals.

Having up-to-date knowledge of their progress towards these national and regional goals is crucial for the region and its countries to make informed plans and decisions. To address this need, a regional monitoring framework was adopted at the 11th ECOWAS Energy Ministers Meeting in Conakry, Guinea, in December 2016, with ECREEE tasked with leading the monitoring efforts.

This regional progress report aims not only to provide a quantitative overview of the efforts made by ECOWAS governments to achieve the RE, EE and Se4all objectives, but also to encourage the formulation of policies on renewable energy and energetic efficiency. From 2014 to 2020, the following reports were produced:

• ECOWAS Report on the State of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency 2014
• ECOWAS Regional Progress Report 2016
• ECOWAS Regional Progress Report 2017
• ECOWAS Regional Progress Report 2018
• ECOWAS Regional Progress Report 2019
• ECOWAS Regional Progress Report 2020

The main objective of the regional report is to present the most recent data regarding the status of achievement of the objectives set out in their NREAP, NEEAP and SEforALL action programs, as well as a summary of the main activities implemented to achieve the objectives set. objectives during the previous year. Concretely, it seeks to:

• Evaluate the annual state of access to energy in general and to renewable energies in particular within ECOWAS member countries.
• Evaluate indicators relating to energy efficiency within ECOWAS member countries.
• Take stock of the progress of projects focused on renewable energies within ECOWAS member countries.

Completed

• Conduct a data collection and validation exercise of regional progress reports on renewable energy, energy efficiency and access, in collaboration with Member States.

In progress

• Design and implementation of the data collection strategy on renewable energies and energy efficiency, to make regional reports a reference tool for the dissemination of energy information in the ECOWAS region.

Under preparation

• Conduct in-depth studies through data collection to define baseline values ​​for energy efficiency indicators in ECOWAS countries under the ECREEE-USAID collaboration: “Accelerating a carbon-free energy future in Africa ‘West: 2024 – 2029’.

Increased awareness and knowledge of the progress made by each Member State in achieving their national action programs (NREAP, NEEAP and SEforALL) as well as regional targets such as in EREP and EEEA.