ECOWAS Parliament: Senegal Calls For Energy Sovereignty, Accelerated Rural Electrification In West Africa
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Stella Omona
The Head of the Senegalese Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Guy Marius Sagna, has called for a “sovereign revolution” in energy development across West Africa, stressing that access to affordable and sustainable electricity is critical to tackling poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and inadequate healthcare and education services in the region.
Speaking at the opening of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Delocalized Joint Committee Meeting in Dakar on Monday, Sagna welcomed delegates to Senegal and underscored the importance of the meeting’s theme: “Harnessing Renewable Energy for Rural Electrification and the Boosting of Rural Economies in the ECOWAS Region: The Role of the ECOWAS Parliament.”
The Senegalese lawmaker thanked the President of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, for selecting Dakar as the host city and expressed appreciation to Senegalese authorities for their support in ensuring the success of the meeting.
Sagna described renewable energy as a cornerstone of energy sovereignty, arguing that the energy transition is essential for creating jobs, reducing poverty, and securing a sustainable future for rural communities.
According to him, despite West Africa’s vast renewable energy resources, access to electricity in rural areas remains critically low, with only about 12 percent of rural households connected to electricity. He noted that the region possesses exceptional solar energy potential of between 5 and 6 kWh per square metre per day, as well as hydroelectric potential exceeding 25,000 megawatts.
In a strongly worded address, Sagna advocated what he termed a “sovereign revolution,” saying Senegal and West Africa must take greater control of their development paths if they are to improve the living conditions of nearly half a billion people in the region.
“Without sufficient and affordable electricity, it is impossible to solve the problem of unemployment,” he said, citing renowned Senegalese scholar Cheikh Anta Diop’s assertion that, “In the beginning was energy. Everything else flows from it.
Drawing on the words of Burkinabe historian Joseph Ki-Zerbo, who said, “He who sleeps on another’s mat sleeps on the ground,” Sagna argued that Africa continues to underutilize its vast renewable energy wealth despite possessing about 60 percent of the world’s best solar resources.
He lamented that more than 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity, including an estimated 220 to 230 million people in West Africa, while the continent contributes only a small fraction of global solar, hydroelectric, and wind energy production.
The parliamentarian called for accelerated energy diversification across West Africa, warning against dependence on a single energy source or economic resource.
He stressed the need for increased investment in rural electrification projects and stronger political commitment to energy development.
Sagna also criticized corruption and the misappropriation of public funds, arguing that resources intended for infrastructure and electricity projects are often diverted, depriving citizens of essential services.
“We need strong political will for a sovereign revolution and against the misappropriation of public funds so that the resources of West African citizens are invested in meeting the needs of the people, including electrification,” he stated.
He expressed confidence that deliberations during the Dakar meeting would produce practical recommendations to advance the objectives of ECOWAS Vision 2050 and strengthen regional integration through sustainable energy development.
The five-day meeting brings together Members of the ECOWAS Parliament, government officials, development partners, energy experts, and private sector stakeholders to discuss strategies for expanding renewable energy access and accelerating rural electrification across the region.
