Ken Okeke
The 4th Steering Committee Meeting of the EU-ECOWAS Scholarship Programme on Sustainable Energy took place on March 20,2025, Virtually, bringing together representatives from ECOWAS, the European Union, and the British Council.
The meeting aimed to review progress and milestones achieved so far in the program, discuss project duration and potential extensions, and reorganize the budget to ensure effective project implementation.
This meeting demonstrates the commitment of ECOWAS, EU, and British Council to promote sustainable energy development in West Africa through capacity building and education.
This EU-ECOWAS programme aims to improve access to high-quality training in the sustainable energy sector, enabling university graduates to acquire the skills required to meet the growing demand for specialists in the field.
The committee also focused on enhancing scholar management and communication, planning the end-of-project ceremony, and exploring strategies for sustaining the project.
During the meeting, Mrs. Lindoro Laura, Representative of the European Union and Co-Chair, commended ECOWAS and the British Council on the programme’s success, emphasizing the need for partners and stakeholders to prioritize sustainability efforts. As Regional Programme Manager – Energy and Transport at the EU, Laura’s endorsement underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in driving the programme’s continued impact.
Mr. Bayaornibe DABIRE, Director of Energy and Mines at the ECOWAS Commission and co-chairman of the meeting, expressed his gratitude to the EU for its financial support and to the British Council for their collaboration on the programme. He also emphasized the importance of sustaining initiatives like this in the ECOWAS region, ensuring the programme’s long-term viability.
Key highlights from the meeting include the successful placement of 72 scholars in nine institutions, comprising 17 mobile and 55 stationary scholars. Notably, 42 males and 30 females (41.6% female representation) are benefiting from the program, with 17 scholars already employed.