ECOWAS-REAP has connected 490 localities and nearly 500,000 people to electricity, the ECOWAS Commission said at the project’s final Steering Committee meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, reviewing six years of implementation and closure.
The two-day session opened on 2 November 2026 at the new headquarters of the ECOWAS Commission.
It brought together the national power utilities and energy ministries of The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Mali, alongside the Regional Coordination Unit and the National Project Implementation Units.
The World Bank financed the project with US$225 million, and the ECOWAS Commission coordinated it regionally. The project is scheduled to close on 31 December 2026.
Arkadius Koumoin, Director of Energy and Mines and chair of the Steering Committee, credited the progress made despite what the Commission described as challenges during execution, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, institutional disruptions, failures on the part of certain contractors and contractual delays.
“Beyond the infrastructure delivered, the true measure of our success remains the effective connection of households and the lasting improvement of their living conditions,” Koumoin said.
He called for “decisions and concrete actions” to secure a responsible closure and the sustainable handover of infrastructure to national utilities, and commended the World Bank for its funding and for its ongoing support of regional initiatives aimed at improving access to energy.
Gallo Saidy, Managing Director of The Gambia’s National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC), described the project as an investment in communities and said the number of households with electricity is the true test of its success.
He commended the partnership between the Government of The Gambia, ECOWAS and the World Bank, and urged partners to complete what was started.
Pedro Jeus de Oliviera, representing the ministry in charge of energy in Guinea-Bissau, highlighted the project’s contribution to improving living conditions and supporting families, noting that energy for Bissau is a crucial national priority.
He called for close monitoring, a clear strategy and a roadmap to complete outstanding work, and reaffirmed his government’s support.
Oussouby Mary dit Ousmane Diarra, National Director of Energy of Mali, underlined the project’s impact on the lives of Malian populations and, citing security and contractual constraints, called for an extension of at least 30 months, subject to World Bank approval.
“Let us not make the project’s closing date the date we abandon our ambitions,” he said.
In The Gambia, around 43,090 households were connected across 400 electrified localities, providing 344,720 people with new or improved access to electricity. Guinea-Bissau completed more than 20,788 household connections across 90 localities, providing around 145,000 people with access to electricity.
The meeting’s conclusions are to be consolidated in a report to be adopted on 3 November 2026.
Comments