Officials from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and other member countries’ regulators are expected to attend the 7th Regional Electricity Regulatory Forum of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA), which is scheduled to take place in Banjul, The Gambia, the following week.
With the theme, “Energy Security in the ECOWAS Region through Interdependence”, the forum is organised as part of the mandate of ERERA for the organisation and development of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market, said a statement from the ERERA secretariat.
The vice president of The Gambia, Mr. Badara Alieu Joof, will launch the event, which will be held in The Gambia for the second occasion since November 2013.
Additionally, it is anticipated to offer a chance for ECOWAS to reaffirm its commitment to good governance and to reinforce ERERA’s position as an organization for harmonizing rules, policies, and practices in the power sector. As a forum for fostering cooperation, information sharing, and the sharing of experience, among other advantages, it will also help strengthen the capacity of energy market participants and operators in ECOWAS member states.
Representatives from the energy ministries, national regulatory agencies, utility companies, legislators, academics, researchers, consumer groups, regional and international financial institutions, as well as development partners, are among the key players anticipated to attend the event.
ERERA and the Public Utility Regulatory Authority (PURA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on August 31, 2022, in Banjul, during a working visit of a delegation from ERERA led by its chairman, Mr. Laurent Tossou, with ERERA’s Regulatory Council Member, Dr. Haliru Dikko, and Senior Legal Expert, Mr. Oumar Bangoura. This was done to ensure a successful hosting of the first post-pandemic forum.
