The ECOWAS Energy and Mines Department is organising a regional workshop on the ECOWAS Energy Information System from 29 March to 2 April 2022 in Accra, Ghana. Mr. Sédiko DOUKA, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Energy and Mines will kick-start the activities lined up for the workshop. The main objective is to review the statistics collected from 2010 to 2019 and validation sane.  National experts will also be trained on how to fill the common data collection questionnaire and use the ECOWAS Information System (EIS) platform.

Defined as a combined set of techniques for the collection, recording, processing and dissemination of energy information, the EIS aims at providing current country-specific and regional consolidated data and information on all aspects of energy situation in West Africa (consumption, production, supply, sources of energy, flows, etc.). It facilitates sound regional energy policy formulation and long-term energy sector planning.

Specifically, the Accra workshop will enable the ECOWAS Energy and Mines Department to, among other things 1-present the EIS platform in its entirety; 2- present the energy situation in West Africa and its evolution; 3- update participants on the challenges of energy transition; 4-  present the situation on the quality of energy statistics in Member States, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses; 5- enable participants understand the format of the common questionnaire for the collection of statistics and its composition, particularly with regard to: (i) electricity and heat; (ii) natural gas; (iii) oil; (iv) coal; (v) biomass, (vi) energy infrastructure, (vii) economic and socio-demographic data; etc.

The workshop will be attended by representatives of ECOWAS Member States (the focal points designated by Member States for the energy information system and energy efficiency); the European Union; the ECOWAS Directorate of Energy and Mines; as well as ECOWAS specialised agencies in charge of energy, namely: West African Power Pool (WAPP), ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA) and some regional institutions.

This workshop forms part of activities earmarked under the programme “Improving the Energy Governance in West Africa” (AGoSE-AO). It was set up within the framework of a cooperation agreement between the ECOWAS Commission, UEMOA and the European Union (EU) under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). It includes a component on the establishment of a regional energy information system.