West Africa: $465 Million Approved for Regional Electricity Access
By Nomvuyo Tena
The World Bank Group has approved a regional electricity access project in West Africa for a total amount of $465 million. This will see countries in the region expand electricity to over a million people.
Countries in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) will expand access to grid electricity to over one million people, enhance power system stability for another 3.5 million people, and increase renewable energy integration in the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP).
The new Regional Electricity Access and Battery-Energy Storage Technologies (BEST) Project – approved by the World Bank Group for a total amount of $465 million – will increase grid connections in fragile areas of the Sahel, build the capacity of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA), and strengthen the WAPP’s network operation with battery energy storage technologies infrastructure.
Photo courtesy of Lukas Bato.
