The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)Business Council (EBC) is set to prioritize regional energy sufficiency as a catalyst for industrial growth across West Africa under a newly unveiled private-sector-led initiative tagged “Power W.A.” (Power West Africa) for Industrialisation. The strategic framework was finalized during a bilateral meeting between the ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mr. Dehpue Yenpea Zuo, and Prof. Hassan Mahmud, Chief Economist of the Dangote Group and focal person for the ECOWAS Business Council Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, held at the Dangote Industries headquarters in Ikoyi, Lagos, on October 2^nd 2026.

Accompanying Commissioner Zuo were the Acting Director of Private Sector and Industry, Mr. Oluonye Peter O. Chukwudi, and the Executive Assistant to the Commissioner, Mr. Benedict D. Robert.

Deliberations focused on aligning the new ECOWAS management priorities with the operationalization of the ECOWAS Business Council, drawing from decisions of the 69^th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in July 2026. These key priorities encompass the operationalization of the EBC, implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS), preparations for the 2027 ECO single currency launch and enhanced regional food security.

Speaking on behalf of the ECOWAS Business Council Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Prof.Hassan Mahmud stated that the Chairman’s two-year tenure will center on developing regional energy project corridors to tackle persistent electricity deficits constraining commerce, leaving administrative governance to the Commission for long-term sustainability.

The “Power W.A.” initiative will establish industrial power corridors backed by a comprehensive regional electricity demand-and-supply gap study. To fund these projects, the ECOWAS Business Council will assemble an influential membership base of regional business leaders and engage multilateral financial institutions, including Afreximbank, the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) while relying on ECOWAS and national governments to provide policy guarantees and an enabling environment.

The meeting also established key operational milestones for the Business Council, which comprises one representative from each ECOWAS Member State alongside two additional representatives from Nigeria. With five regional nominees and two Nigerian representatives already committed, both parties agreed to convene the inaugural ECOWAS Business Council meeting between late October and early November 2026. Ahead of the inaugaural meeting, a consultation will be arranged between ECOWAS Business Council Chairman Aliko Dangote and the President of the ECOWAS Commission, General Birame Diop. Commissioner Zuo welcomed the alignment, noting the importance of securing approval during the upcoming Council of Ministers meeting in December 2026.

As immediate next steps, the ECOWAS Business Council will share its concept note and membership roster, while the ECOWAS commission utilizes existing baseline studies from its Energy and Solid Minerals Directorates to drive the proposed electricity demand-and-supply assessment.