West Africa: ECOWAS plans $50 billion project to boost energy access

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) plans a $ 50 bn project to boost access to modern energy services for the teaming population in the sub region and arrest the energy short fall considered as a major drawback to economic development and regional integration. Towards this end, ECOWAS has set a December 2007 target date for its 15-nation members to set up a national investment programme, after which ECOWAS along with the member states would then begin the mobilisation of the $ 50 bn fund for the implementation of the community investment programme.