Nigeria, 18 other countries to benefit from ECOWAS $338.7m off-grid electricity project- Sackor

Chigozie Ikpo, Abuja

As part of efforts to implement the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has signed a contract with TSC Global, an international African consultancy firm for execution of the project.

The project worth $338.7 million, is financed by the World Bank, the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and the Dutch Cooperation (DGIS) while the ECOWAS Commission, the Regional Centre for Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD) are responsible for implementation.

Speaking at the contract signing ceremony in Abuja, CEO/ President of TSC GLOBAL, Mr. Amara S. Sackor, representing the group, said the project aims to provide off-grid electricity access and affordability to both private and public sectors in 19 countries within the West African region.

Sackor said with TSC Global/Intech-GOPA/AFC/BB&Co as “Project Fund Manager,” the project when completed, will reduce the regional power gap, assuring that it will be diligently executed in line with ECOWAS and World Bank guidelines.

ECOWAS has so far engaged a consortium of firms to provide Technical and Financial Assistance to companies in the off-grid solar PV sector and financial institutions in the 19 countries where the ROGEAP project is to be implemented

Following a procurement process in accordance with the donor’s procedures, the TSC Global/Intech-GOPA/AFC/BB Consortium was retained by the ECOWAS Commission as ROGEAP Fund Manager to provide Technical and Financial support, not only to the private sector but also to commercial banks and microfinance institutions in the countries covered by the project. Also it will support the Project Management Unit (PMU) based in Abuja and within BOAD in Lomé.

Also present at the event were Commissioner Sédiko Douka, in charge of Infrastructure, Energy  and Digitalization of ECOWAS, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the ROGEAP Project, and Mr. EL hadji SYLLA, Principal Advisor and Coordinator of ROGEAP, the Executive Assistant to the Commissioner of Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization and the associate members / experts of the PFM.