Globally, efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change has never been more urgent, with countries setting their Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategies. While these commitments are largely driven by the increased use of renewable resources, global decarbonization objectives are incomplete without solutions to mitigate the carbon emissions from the ‘hard-to-abate’ sectors such as industries and transportation.  

This is one of the concerns for which ECOWAS has updated its Regional Energy Policy. This has made it possible to integrate changes in the international context but also in the regional context marked by significant economic, social, political, and technological changes, to converge towards an integrated, fair, and sustainable energy development. To this end, the Policy places particular emphasis on the need to promote clean forms of energy, particularly Hydrogen.  

Clean hydrogen is recognized as an energy source capable of decarbonizing the industrial, transport, agricultural and power sectors. For this reason, it has been the subject of growing interest from the international community in recent years. Within this context, ECREEE with the support of WASCAL is developing since October 2020 a Green Hydrogen Program. 

The ECOWAS Green Hydrogen Program is developed with the strategic vision of positioning the region as one of the most competitive producers and suppliers of green hydrogen and its derivatives while addressing socio-economic growth and sustainable development of all member states. To this extent, objectives of the framework are identified: 

• Promote the development of an enabling and facilitating environment for establishment of green hydrogen.  
• Undertake demonstration projects within the regions.  
• Develop strategic long-term roadmap for development of green hydrogen consumption within the region.  
• Promote investments in supporting infrastructure required for green hydrogen investments.  
• Establish strategic partnerships for investments, technology supply and financing. 

Completed

• Policy and strategic framework is completed

Ongoing

• The action plan development process is ongoing

Under Preparation

• Implementation of the short-term action plan.
• Development of an enhancing institutional and regulatory Framework in ECOWAS Region
• Green Hydrogen Market development readiness in ECOWAS

The expected outcomes are the followings:  

• Become (ECOWAS Region) a competitive supplier of green hydrogen in the world.  
• Improve the part of sustainable energy in the region through facilitation of green hydrogen.  
• Improve the energy security and climate change resilience.  
• Promote sustainable industrial development.  
• Promote equitable socio-economic and gender development. 

ECOWAS Green Hydrogen Program