Over the past decade, the ECOWAS region has recorded a steady rise in Total Final Energy Consumption (TFEC), growing at an average annual rate of 3.85%, in line with the region’s economic expansion. In 2022, TFEC reached 129,871 ktoe, representing 23.5% of Africa’s total, with Nigeria accounting for 56.2% of regional consumption. Biomass remains dominant, constituting 60% of the energy mix, followed by petroleum products (33.1%) and electricity (5.5%). The residential sector is the largest consumer, driven primarily by biomass use for cooking. Access to modern cooking technologies remains low, with 10 out of 15 ECOWAS countries reporting access rates below 10%, underscoring the urgent need for improved cookstoves, LPG, and clean energy solutions.
Despite notable efficiency gains in electricity generation—such as natural gas improving from 37.8% to 45.6%—progress in reducing energy intensity in residential, industrial, and agricultural sectors remains insufficient to meet SDG 7.3 targets. Electricity losses persist, with total losses averaging 21.3%, largely due to high non-technical losses in utilities across Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau.