By Ayomide Otitoju
The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition of Ghana has been confirmed as the Patron of the 2025 West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WAECS), scheduled to take place in Accra from December 2–3, 2025. The high-level event will convene regional leaders, investors, and industry players to advance discussions on energy integration and investment opportunities set to reshape West Africa’s energy landscape by 2030.
The African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI) joins as Lead Sponsor, alongside Endeavour Energy and Denham Capital as Sponsors — reinforcing their commitment to driving sustainable energy investment and regional cooperation across the continent.
“ATIDI continues to deepen its impact across Africa by supporting investments that expand energy access and stimulate economic growth,” said Aliyu Alhassan Yahaya, RLSF Underwriter. He noted that ATIDI, with a gross exposure of about $8.9 billion as of December 2024, offers credit and political risk insurance to protect investors and Independent Power Producers through its Regional Liquidity Support Facility. Projects like Togo’s 42MW Sokodé solar PV plant underscore ATIDI’s role in de-risking clean energy projects and bolstering investor confidence.
The 2025 Summit aims to mobilise financing and foster collaboration aligned with ECOWAS’s regional energy integration goals and Ghana’s vision of becoming a power distribution hub for West Africa. Key agenda topics will include renewable energy expansion, gas-to-power development, digitalisation of energy systems, and strategies for scaling private-sector investment in off-grid and distributed energy markets.
The event will also explore innovative financing models, regional power trade, and the use of technology to enhance grid reliability, energy efficiency, and access in both urban and rural communities.
Ghana’s Energy Transition Framework, which targets net-zero emissions by 2070, places emphasis on clean energy generation, efficiency, and renewable expansion, particularly in solar energy. The framework also highlights natural gas as a key enabler for stable power supply and industrial growth.
Confirmed participants include Vice President of Liberia, H.E. Jeremiah Kpan Koung; Ghana’s Minister for Energy and Green Transition, H.E. John Abdulai Jinapor; Nigeria’s Minister for Solid Minerals Development, H.E. Dr. Dele Alake; Gambia’s Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, H.E. Nani Juwara; and Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, H.E. Biodun Ogunleye.
They will be joined by senior executives from key utilities and organisations such as the Volta River Authority (Ghana), Transmission Company of Nigeria, and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), alongside private-sector leaders from Wärtsilä, Stanbic Bank Ghana, Gridworks Partners, and Bboxx.
Minister Jinapor expressed pride in hosting the Summit, emphasizing Ghana’s dedication to “regional energy cooperation, sustainable development, and a just energy transition.” He also announced that Ghana will host YES! On The Road Ghana on December 3–4, a youth-focused initiative aimed at empowering and mentoring the next generation of African energy leaders.
