By Olimatou Coker and Arret Jatta
The Ecowas Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) in collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines is planning to host the 10th edition of Ecowas Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF2025) in The Gambia.
The programme will be hosted from 18 – 19 of September 2025 at the Sir Dawda International Conference Centre.
With over 500 attendees expected, ESEF will serve as a unique platform for strengthening regional cooperation, unlocking financing opportunities, and advancing the goals of the Ecowas Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policies.
As the premier platform for advancing sustainable energy in West Africa, ESEF is also aimed at fostering regional cooperation and investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
The Forum will be attended by ministers, regional and international organisation leaders, financial institutions, private sector executives, researchers, students, and civil society actors from across the energy, climate, and development sectors.
The Minister of Petroleum, Energy and Mines, Nani Juwara made this announcement on Friday at a press briefing held at the Petroleum House.
Juwara confirmed that the theme of the forum will focus on “Accelerating Sustainable Energy Infrastructure Solutions for Growth in the Ecowas Region”.
He said for a decade, ESEF has served as a strategic platform for policy dialogue, knowledge sharing, and investment mobilisation, attracting over 500 participants annually.
Minister Juwara said ESEF 2025 reaffirms stakeholders’ commitment to strengthening institutional, policy, and regulatory frameworks to unlock the region’s vast sustainable energy potential and accelerate the Ecowas energy transition.
He said The Gambia is committed to leveraging the outcomes of the forum to attract investment and accelerate the country’s transition toward clean energy.
“So this forum is an opportunity for us to showcase the country’s renewable energy potentials to investors that will be attending the forum. So it’s a great opportunity,” he reiterated.
Mr Francis Sempore, the Executive Director of ECREE also noted that in West Africa, half of the people don’t have access to electricity.
He highlighted ReCCAWA, an initiative focused on promoting clean and efficient cooking solutions in West Africa which aims to address the widespread use of traditional biomass cooking stoves, which contribute to environmental issues like deforestation and indoor air pollution while also impacting public health.
