ECOWAS, EU Initiate Clean Energy Scholarship Scheme

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in partnership with the European Union(EU), has launched a scholarship programme.

This, they said, was to further accelerate deployment of clean energy and meet West Africa’s energy demand.

The initiative aims at building the capacity of young professionals in the West African energy sector and as part of efforts to ensure sustainable access for the people of West Africa to clean energy and electricity,

These fully funded Masters Degree in a variety of sustainable energy courses at nine specialised universities and institutes in six West African countries will be allocated to highly talented students from ECOWAS member states pursuing careers in the energy sector.

The nine Higher Education Institutions(HEIs) selected for this programme include: Obafemi Awolowo University (Nigeria), University of Ibadan (Nigeria), University of Nigeria Nsukka(Nigeria), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana), Ecole Polytechnique de Thiès (Senegal), Universite Cheikh Anta Diop (Senegal), Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (Cote d’Ivoire), Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Ingénieurs -Université de Lomé (Togo), and Universidade de Cabo Verde (Cape Verde).

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These higher institutions are renowned for their high-quality curriculum in the fields of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

This opportunity is opened to all citizens of ECOWAS and Mauritania holding a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Energy and Environment (including Renewable Energy Energy and Energy Efficiency), Law, Economics, Finance and Planning, allows applicants to apply for any of the nine institutions in one of the six countries and particular attention will be given to women candidates.

75 Students are targeted within the ECOWAS countries and selected in a competitive and transparent manner by respecting the geographical and language distributions.

In her statement, commissioner of Human Development and Social Affairs of the ECOWAS Commission, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, claimed that: ‘’the issue of energy is very important, especially, at the level of education, it is also important that the presence of women who benefit from these scholarships is significant. A big step has just been taken, but efforts must also be made towards countries that do not have the British Council on their territory and to always strengthen the presence of women in this scholarship selection programme.”

Also, the director of Energy and Mines, ECOWAS Commission, Bayaornibè DABIRE, added that: “the supply of sustainable energy, which is available and accessible to all, is critical to the development of our region. To this end, we must attract the best skills in the energy sector to contribute to the achievement of this objective.”

Representing the European Union, the main donor, head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Cecile Tassin-Pelzer, stated that: “Human capital development is the means and Green Energy Transition the goal. EU joins forces with ECOWAS to pursue their common aspiration. This is the aim of this Scholarships Programme.”

The British Council has been appointed as the implementing partner for the scholarship.

Speaking on this development, Country director, British Council, Senegal, Alex Lambert, said: “the British Council will leverage our extensive experience in scholarship management and Higher Education institution partnerships across Sub-Saharan African to ensure a successful programme and outcomes. We are particularly excited that the overall objective of the EU for this programme complements the long-standing work of the British Council to enhance human capital development by improving access to high quality training, skills development, and employability for young people in West Africa”.

The ECOWAS commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization, Mr. Sédiko Douka, said: ’’this scholarship programme is another evidence of the keen interest that the ECOWAS Commission has in the nexus education and universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy.”

The scholarship programme was initiated by the ECOWAS commission and European Union through the 11th EDF Energy Governance Programme in West Africa (AGoSE-AO), for students from ECOWAS Member States and Mauritania.