ECREEE Spotlight $75M Energy Finance Push at Global Summit in Spain.

By Raymond Enoch

In a defining moment for West Africa’s energy future, the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) took center stage at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4), co-hosting a landmark side event in Seville with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).Held under the theme “Unlocking Energy Finance for All in West Africa: Addressing the Concentration of Energy Finance & Catalyzing Renewables Investments,” the high-level dialogue brought together regional leaders, global policymakers, and financial experts to chart a bold new path for renewable energy financing in the ECOWAS region.Keynote speaker H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, announced the launch of the ECOWAS Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Facility (EREEEF)—a $75 million blended finance mechanism designed to de-risk investment and empower regional stakeholders in energy project ownership.“West Africa must not be left behind in the global energy transition,” Dr. Touray declared. “With EREEEF, we are shifting from planning to implementation—mobilizing real capital for real change.”Francis Sempore, ECREEE’s Executive Director, reinforced the urgency, describing EREEEF as a “game-changing tool to close financing gaps, build investor confidence, and transform the region’s energy landscape.”H.E. Ambassador Kinza Jawara-Njai, ECOWAS Permanent Observer to the UN, added a resounding call for unity and speed: “Clean, affordable energy must no longer be a goal—it must be a guarantee. We need action now.”The side event was powered by a strong coalition of partners, including the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), and UNCDF—all advocating for innovative, collaborative financing models to accelerate the region’s green energy transition.ECREEE’s dynamic presence at FFD4 not only highlighted West Africa’s energy potential but also cemented its leadership role in shaping a future where inclusive, sustainable energy access becomes a regional reality.