The World Bank is providing $465 million in financing to countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that will extend access to the electricity grid to more than one million people, improving stability for another 3.5 million people and increase the integration of renewable energy into the West African Electricity Trading System (Eeeoa). According to a World Bank press release, the new regional project electricity access and battery energy storage project, approved by the World Bank Group for a total amount of $465 million, will increase grid connections in fragile areas of the Sahel, strengthen the capacities of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority (Arrec) and improve the operation of the WEEE network through battery energy storage infrastructure.

This innovative initiative paves the way for the region to increase the production and transport capacities of renewable energies, as well as an increase in investments in this field. “West Africa is on the cusp of a regional energy market that promises huge development benefits and holds significant potential for private sector participation,” said Charles Cormier, Head of Service at the World Bank's Global Energy Hub. This new project builds on the progress already made and will finance civil works to accelerate access in Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.