African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) —ECOWAS, AU Explores a Single Electricity Market.
By Raymond Enoch
In a decisive push toward continental energy integration, the African Union Commission (AUC) and the ECOWAS Commission have launched a high-level appraisal workshop in Abuja to assess West Africa’s readiness for the historic African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) — a bold initiative aimed at lighting up the continent through a unified power grid.
The three-day workshop, convened from November 3 to 5, 2025, brings together senior energy policymakers, regulators, and power institutions from across the ECOWAS region. Hosted under the theme “Regulatory Readiness and Institutional Capacity for Continental Electricity Trading,” the meeting marks a strategic milestone in Africa’s march toward creating the world’s largest single electricity market.
The deliberations, co-organized by the AUC Directorate of Infrastructure and Energy and the ECOWAS Directorate of Energy and Mines, focus on the critical enablers of AfSEM implementation — including regulatory frameworks, market readiness, institutional strengthening, and the harmonization of cross-border energy policies.
Participants include representatives of national electricity regulators, the West African Power Pool (WAPP), ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA), ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), alongside continental partners such as the African Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR), Association of Power Utilities of Africa (APUA), and the African School of Regulation (ASR).
Representing the President of the ECOWAS Commission, the Hon. Abdou Kolley, Chief of Staff, highlighted ECOWAS’s strong foundations in regional energy integration. He cited the commissioning of the WAPP Information and Coordination Centre (ICC) in 2023 as a landmark achievement, noting that it now serves as the “Market System Operator” for the subregion.
«“The interconnection of fourteen ECOWAS inland and coastal member states is not just an infrastructural milestone — it is the backbone of Africa’s energy future,” Kolley said. “Our task now is to ensure that our institutions, regulations, and markets are ready to thrive within the continental scale of AfSEM.”»
Kolley called for a renewed commitment among stakeholders to “build the regulatory foundations for a truly empowered and interconnected Africa,” urging collaboration across governments, development partners, and power utilities.
Representatives from Nigeria’s Ministry of Power, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the AUC’s Energy Division also reaffirmed their support, emphasizing that the AfSEM project would bolster energy access, enhance competitiveness, and propel Africa’s industrial and digital transformation.
The African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), a flagship initiative of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, seeks to transform Africa into a continent powered by sustainable, affordable, and reliable electricity. Through seamless cross-border power trading, AfSEM aims to strengthen energy security, accelerate regional integration, and drive inclusive economic growth.
As the continent advances toward a unified electricity grid, the Abuja workshop stands as a pivotal step — setting the pace for a future where no African nation remains in the dark.
