Cotonou, 31 August 2026, The West African Power Pool (WAPP) announces the selection, by the International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE) Fund for Innovation and Education, of the project entitled “Empowering Young Women through Skills Development in Solar Energy, Mini-Grids and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Community Development.”

The WAPP Secretary General, who leads the CIGRE West Africa National Committee, in close collaboration with VRA Academy (Ghana), recently designated as a WAPP Regional Centre of Excellence, and the NAPTIN Regional Training Centre in Kainji (Nigeria), has secured a grant of EUR 88,700 for the project. The selection was announced on 23 August 2026, during the opening ceremony of the CIGRE 2026 Session in Paris.

The project aims to strengthen the participation of young women in the development of West Africa’s energy sector. In particular, it will:Train 40 to 50 young women in Ghana and Nigeria in solar photovoltaic energy, mini-grids, energy management and safety; Strengthen the capacities of approximately 15 trainers from the partner training centres; Develop reusable training modules for deployment across the WAPP Regional Training Centres Network; Support participants in designing energy solutions and entrepreneurial initiatives through mentoring and incubation.

Beyond technical training, the initiative will create new professional and entrepreneurial opportunities for beneficiaries while promoting decentralised energy solutions in underserved and low-electrification areas. It is aligned with regional priorities related to sustainable energy access, local skills development, youth employment, gender equality, and the strengthening of training institutions within the power sector.

This selection recognises the quality of the cooperation between the CIGRE West Africa National Committee, led by WAPP, and the WAPP Regional Training Centres Network. WAPP expresses its gratitude to the Board of the CIGRE Fund for Innovation and Education for its confidence and congratulates the CIGRE West Africa National Committee, VRA Academy and NAPTIN for their commitment to this forward-looking initiative.

Details regarding implementation arrangements, the activity schedule and the beneficiary selection process will be communicated following the finalisation of the grant agreement.