Benin: official launch of the 10th ECOWAS regional forum on electricity regulation
The 10th Regional Forum on Electricity Regulation of CEDEAO opened this Thursday, October 23, 2025 in Cotonou, under the theme “Energy cooperation in West Africa: current dynamics and prospects for strengthening integration”. The meeting, which brings together experts, decision-makers and technical partners, aims to strengthen regional energy cooperation for a sustainable and balanced integration of the West African electricity market.
SUMMARY
Cotonou has been hosting since this Thursday, October 23, 2025, the 10th Regional Forum on Electricity Regulation of CEDEAO (ARREC), a forum for technical and policy exchanges on current energy dynamics in the subregion. In the presence of several dignitaries, including the representative of the Beninese Minister of Energy, the ECOWAS resident representative in Benin and the president of the Regional Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority of CEDEAO (ARREC), the proceedings began in an atmosphere of commitment and cooperation.
Speaking, Édouard Dahomé, president of the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Benin, welcomed the participants. “It is with immense pride and deep conviction that I speak to you this morning in Cotonou, a land of hospitality and dialogue, to open the work of the tenth forum of the regional electricity regulatory authority,” he said.
Benin, a key player in strengthened energy cooperation
In his speech, Édouard Dahomé praised the Beninese government’s commitment to regional energy integration. “Under the enlightened leadership of President Patrice Talon, Benin has undertaken a profound reform of its energy sector in recent years: increased national generation capacity, strengthened transmission and distribution, and promotion of renewable energies,” he recalled.
He mentioned several major projects underway before emphasizing regional solidarity. “Thanks to landmark investments, such as the Maria-Gléta thermal power plant, the solar parks in Pobè, Bohicon, Djougou, Parakou and the regional interconnection projects via CEB and the WAPP, our country has reached a decisive step toward energy autonomy,” he listed.
“The light that brightens Porto-Novo, Cotonou or Parakou should tomorrow be able to be shared with Niamey, Lomé, Ouagadougou or Abidjan. That is West African energy solidarity,” added Édouard Dahomé.
A decade of efforts for an integrated regional market
For his part, ARREC president Laurent Kocou Tossou placed this tenth forum in the continuity of actions carried out for more than ten years to build an integrated and harmonized market. “It is with a profound sense of responsibility and pride that I speak at the opening of this tenth regional forum on electricity sector regulation in West Africa,” he said at the outset.
He praised the progress made since the creation of ARREC. For him, this tenth edition marks a historic milestone. “It illustrates more than a decade of sustained efforts to build an integrated, transparent and prosperous regional electricity market, in line with CEDEAO’s 2050 vision and the 2023-2027 community strategies.”, he said.
Laurent Tossou also presented the priorities of the 2026-2030 strategic plan, which is built around six major axes, including the development of the regional market, harmonization of national policies, capacity building and integration of renewable energies.
“We must accelerate universal access to electricity, deepen energy integration through reliable regional interconnections and promote a competitive market that attracts massive investment in energy infrastructure and clean energies,” he asserted.
CEDEAO calls for sustainable energy solidarity
Speaking in turn, CEDEAO’s resident representative in Benin, Ambassador Amadou Diongue, praised Benin and ARREC’s commitment to the success of this tenth edition. “On behalf of CEDEAO, I express our deep gratitude to the Republic of Benin for warmly and committedly accepting to host this forum,” he said.
He stressed the strategic scope of the chosen theme. “The theme you have chosen, ‘Energy cooperation in West Africa: current dynamics and prospects for strengthening integration,’ reflects our member states’ collective will to consolidate the gains of the regional market while responding to contemporary challenges related to energy access, system security, the energy transition and institutional resilience,” the CEDEAO representative acknowledged.
In an optimistic tone, he urged stakeholders to deepen regional dialogue. “Integration is not decreed, it is built through commitment, method and solidarity. It requires constant efforts in coordination, regulatory harmonization, risk management and dialogue between all public and private actors,” he explained.
Toward regional energy sovereignty
To close his remarks, Amadou Diongue recalled the central role of energy in building a sovereign and stable West Africa. According to him, CEDEAO sees this forum as a strategic platform for dialogue, innovation and change. “It embodies our shared commitment to make energy a driver of development, stability and prosperity,” he said.
Discussions continue until Friday, October 24, 2025, with technical panels, sessions on interconnected markets and capacity-building workshops. The ARREC 2023-2024 annual report, the first of its kind, will also be presented to participants.
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