West Africa Steps Up Regional Push for Clean and Affordable Energy

 

West Africa is preparing for a major conversation on the future of energy access and cooperation, as Accra gets set to host the 2025 West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WAECS) from 2–3 December 2025.

Ghana’s Ministry of Energy and Green Transition has been confirmed as Patron of the event, which will bring together government leaders, energy utilities, financiers, and private developers to explore how the region can expand clean energy, improve cross-border power trade, and strengthen energy security by 2030.

The African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI) joins the Summit as Lead Sponsor, alongside Endeavour Energy and Denham Capital. Their involvement signals growing investor interest in West Africa’s energy transition efforts.

Boosting Investment Confidence in Clean Power

ATIDI, the continent’s multilateral insurer, says part of its work is to reduce investor risk and support independent power producers delivering renewable and reliable energy.

The insurer currently provides credit and political risk cover worth close to $8.9 billion across Africa. Its Regional Liquidity Support Facility has already helped secure projects such as the 42MW Sokodé solar plant in Togo, providing payment guarantees that help unlock private capital.

“Strengthening investor confidence is essential for scaling energy access,” said Aliyu Alhassan Yahaya, RLSF Underwriter. “Our role is to de-risk projects so they can attract long-term financing and deliver real impact.”

Driving Regional Integration and Reliable Power

The Summit supports the wider ECOWAS agenda to develop shared transmission lines and coordinated power markets. Ghana has positioned itself to become a regional energy distribution hub, leveraging its existing generation mix and growing gas capacity.

Discussions in Accra will focus on:

• Expanding renewable energy and off-grid systems

• Financing and de-risking energy projects

• Developing cross-border transmission links

• Strengthening digital systems for efficient grid management

Industry experts will also examine how gas can serve as a transition fuel while solar and other renewables scale up.

Ghana’s Path to a Just Energy Transition

Ghana’s Energy Transition Framework outlines a shift toward lower-carbon generation while maintaining reliability and affordability. Solar expansion, off-grid electrification, and efficiency improvements are priorities, alongside using natural gas as the dependable baseload source that stabilises the power system.

Officials say the goal is to build a competitive energy system that can support industrialisation, job creation, and inclusive growth.