The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced that it is working on a common agenda to develop renewable energy across West Africa
In order to implement renewable energy projects faster, governments of the different West African nations will adopt a common strategy to speed up the adoption and development of different forms of green energy.
Mohammed Wakil, minister of power for Nigeria, said, "We met and agreed to pursue a common agenda that will see various countries working faster to implement renewable energy projects. This will build on the commitment of the respective country heads who have signed the renewable energy declaration."
This decision to combine resources and ideas to develop green energy was taken at the United Nations' Sustainable SE4ALL conference, held in New York and attended by the heads of power departments of 100 countries.
Though at the national level, various African governments were working independently to achieve the most out of renewable energy, Wakil noted that the new initiative would guide and propel faster action in the energy sector overall.
"We all agree on the need to speed up programmes in the sector and exchange ideas. We all accept the importance of green energy and its beneficial effect. More importantly, we all see the potential of renewable energy as complementary to conventional energy generation," Wakil said.
With a 170mn-strong population, Nigeria is keen to develop renewable energy to provide citizens with better access to power. Wakil revealed that the Nigerian government is also working on the National Policy on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (NREEEP). Other initiatives that have been launched include the National Rural Electrification Strategy and Implementation Plan (NRESIP) and Operation Light-Up Rural Nigeria (OLRN).
