ECOWAS Business Council plans industrial power corridors under Power W.A.

The ECOWAS Business Council plans to develop regional industrial power corridors under a private-sector-led framework called Power W.A., seeking to address electricity shortages that constrain commerce and industrial growth in West Africa. In a statement dated 20 October 2026, the ECOWAS Commission said the framework had been finalised at an October 2 meeting at Dangote Industries’ headquarters in Lagos. Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture Dehpue Yenpea Zuo met Hassan Mahmud, Dangote Group’s chief economist and representative of council chairman Aliko Dangote. Mahmud said Dangote’s two-year tenure would focus on regional energy project corridors, while administrative governance would remain with the Commission. A regional electricity demand-and-supply gap study is intended to underpin the proposed corridors. The council plans to bring together regional business leaders and approach institutions including Afreximbank, the Africa Finance Corporation and the International Finance Corporation to finance projects. ECOWAS and national governments would be expected to provide policy guarantees and an enabling environment. These are planned financing engagements, not announced funding commitments. The council’s membership structure provides for one representative from each member state and two additional representatives from Nigeria. Five regional nominees and two Nigerian representatives had committed, the statement said. The parties agreed to hold the inaugural council meeting between late October and early November 2026, preceded by consultation between Dangote and Commission President General Birame Diop. Zuo highlighted the need to secure approval at the Council of Ministers meeting in December. Immediate work includes circulating the council’s concept note and membership roster and drawing on existing Commission energy and solid-minerals studies for the electricity assessment.