ROGEAP to increase electricity access in rural areas - Elhadji Sylla

Out of a total population of 406 million people living in West Africa and the Sahel regions, an estimated 208 million do not have access to electricity.

This 208 million consists of 70% of persons living in rural areas.

Due to the strategic importance of energy in achieving sustainable development and poverty reduction in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Sahel regions, the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) in partnership with the West African Development Bank launched the Regional Off-Grid Electrification Project (ROGEP).

The project was in a bid to increase access to electricity for households, businesses, and public institutions using modern, stand-alone solar technology through a harmonized regional approach.

According to the Coordinator of Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP), Elhadji Sylla, the project aims at increasing electricity access in rural areas.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a regional capacity building workshop for experts in member states on solar off-grid in Accra on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, Mr Sylla said the "project aims to increase electricity access in rural areas by promoting solar off-grid products and today we are in Ghana as part of activities to build the capacity of standard experts and for rural electrification and ministry of energy experts.”

He further said the reason for the workshop is to ensure that the ECOWAS sub-region has quality products on the market.

Mr Sylla noted that the project when implemented will create jobs for the youth in the ECOWAS sub-region.

According to him, the project is framed in the ECOWAS programme on access to sustainable electricity services, directly contributing to the goals of the ECOWAS Regional Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) with a target to provide universal access to electricity to the region by 2030.

Meanwhile, the budget for ROGEAP has been pegged at US$338.70 million.

ESA/FNOQ