Tag Archives: West African States

AMA, Education

EU–ECOWAS Scholarship Programme Showcases Research Impact as Five Scholars Advance West Africa’s Sustainable Energy Transition

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LAGOS, Nigeria, 10 December 2025-/African Media Agency(AMA)/-The EU–ECOWAS Scholarship Programme for Sustainable Energy, funded and launched in September 2022 by the European Union in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and delivered by the British Council, is celebrating the achievements of its first cohort of scholars whose research is already contributing to the region’s green-energy transition.

The programme provides fully funded master’s degrees in sustainable energy at nine specialised higher-education institutions across Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo.


Demand for the programme has been exceptionally high. From 10,442 applications, scholarships were awarded to 72 academically outstanding candidates from 11 ECOWAS member states — with over 40% female representation.

The programme aims to strengthen human-capital development in the West African electricity sector by supporting postgraduate training and enhancing the capacity of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant education in sustainable energy and energy-efficiency systems. Alongside rigorous academic study, scholars received research support and mentorship to advance innovations that directly benefit the region.


All 72 scholars under the programme completed their research work in sustainable energy. Today, we highlight five scholars who illustrate the transformative impact of the programme through research that addresses real-world energy challenges in West Africa — from electric mobility and air-quality monitoring to renewable-energy optimisation, environmental data systems, and national energy-demand reduction.

Research Highlights from Five EU–ECOWAS Scholars

1. Blessing Nneka Ben-Festus (Nigeria)

Research: IoT-Enabled Predictive Maintenance and Energy Optimisation in Modern Inverter Systems

Institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria


Blessing developed one of the first locally relevant Battery Management Systems (BMS) for Nigeria’s widely used inverter systems. By integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) with machine-learning-based predictive maintenance, the study demonstrates how low-cost hardware and advanced analytics can dramatically improve safety and energy performance in household backup-power systems.

This Battery Management System (BMS) is capable of delivering:

  • A three-sensor platform monitoring voltage, current, and temperature
  • A remote-data system using an Arduino microcontroller and a Global System for Mobile Communications module
  • Machine-learning models achieving 99% accuracy in predicting battery ageing and 92% accuracy in decision-tree diagnostics
  • Proven improvements in battery safety, lifespan, and reliability

Impact for ECOWAS: Improved safety, lower household costs, enhanced confidence in decentralised solar and inverter systems, and reduced energy waste across the region.

2. Ruth Mawunyo Kokovena (Togo)

Research: Building a Low-Cost Environmental Monitoring System to Support Renewable Energy Planning

Institution: University of Lomé, Togo

Ruth developed SISEE, an affordable, multi-sensor environmental monitoring system designed for regions where high-precision weather stations are too costly to install or maintain. The system captures temperature, relative humidity, solar irradiation, tide levels, and GPS location, using open-source software and low-cost sensors.

SISEE is capable of delivering:

  • Temperature accuracy nearing ±0.5°C, comparable to entry-level commercial stations
  • Over 80% correlation in solar-irradiation tracking
  • Effective monitoring of tidal variations for coastal energy planning
  • Real-time data transmission and visualisation

Impact for ECOWAS: Supports solar-resource assessment, coastal-energy planning, climate-monitoring infrastructure, and decentralised data collection for national energy strategies.

3. Godwin Josiah Ajisafe, (Nigeria) – Under the supervision of Ayodele T. R & Ogunjuyigbe A.S 

Research: Determination of the Functional End-of-Life Threshold of Electric Vehicle Lithium-ion Batteries under Urban Lagos Driving Conditions

Institution: University of Ibadan, Nigeria

This study provides the first Lagos-specific model for predicting the end-of-life of Electric Vehicle (EV) lithium-ion batteries under real urban driving and environmental conditions. Machine-learning algorithms — including Support Vector Regression, Random Forest, and Decision Trees — were trained using local data such as temperature, humidity, traffic intensity, driving behaviour, and charging patterns.

The model is capable of delivering:

  • Near-perfect predictive accuracy (Coefficient of Determination R² = 0.999)
  • Identification of heat and stop-and-go traffic as major contributors to battery degradation
  • Strong foundations for EV-fleet management, charging-infrastructure planning, and battery-recycling initiatives

Impact for ECOWAS: Enables realistic EV-policy development, supports circular-economy planning, and strengthens regional capacity for clean transport systems.

4. Kevin Konan N’guessan (Côte d’Ivoire)
Research: TGIME-ES: A Sustainable Energy Management and Solar Integration Solution for National Energy Demand Reduction

Institution: INP-HB, Côte d’Ivoire

Kevin developed TGIME-ES, an intelligent-energy-management solution that reduces electricity consumption while enhancing solar integration. The system was deployed across residential, commercial, and industrial sites.

TGIME-ES is capable of delivering:

  • 22,962 kilowatt-hours of energy saved in four months
  • 2,149,745 West African CFA francs in cost savings
  • 28% reduction in electricity bills
  • National-scale modelling showing TGIME-ES can slow demand growth by more than 50%

Impact for ECOWAS: Offers a scalable, locally developed approach to energy-efficiency, reduced grid pressure, and improved adoption of solar technologies.

5. Patience Yaa Dzigbordi Quashigah (Ghana)

Research: Machine-Learning-Based Performance Analysis of Two Low-Cost Sensors for Measuring Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) and Fine Particulate Matter (PM₂.₅)

Institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana

Patience evaluated two low-cost air-quality sensors, costing approximately USD 100, as alternatives to reference-grade stations costing up to USD 250,000. Using machine-learning calibration, the study improved the accuracy of monitoring carbon dioxide (CO₂), fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), ultra-fine particulate matter (PM₁), coarse particulate matter (PM₁₀), temperature, humidity, and methane (CH₄).

These sensors are capable of delivering:

  • Clear model ranking, with Random Forest performing best
  • Reliable environmental data after machine-learning calibration
  • Insights into sensor limitations and calibration techniques
  • Evidence that low-cost networks can support large-scale monitoring

Impact for ECOWAS: Enhances affordable air-quality monitoring, supports solar-energy forecasting, informs emissions policy, and enables community-level environmental awareness.

Overall Programme Impact

These five research projects demonstrate the success and strategic relevance of the EU–ECOWAS Scholarship Programme for Sustainable Energy. Together, the scholars’ work:

  • Strengthens regional capacity for renewable-energy innovation
  • Provides scientific evidence for policy and infrastructure planning
  • Supports environmental monitoring and public-health initiatives
  • Advances energy efficiency, electric mobility, and solar deployment
  • Builds a new generation of skilled experts driving West Africa’s green-energy transition

The programme is creating a pipeline of talented professionals equipped to support ECOWAS member states in accelerating sustainable-energy adoption, reducing emissions, and improving energy security across the region.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of British Council

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Regional

Nigeria urged to champion regional transit guarantee scheme in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Ufulu

Under the Afreximbank African Collaborative Transit Guarantee Scheme, a single transit bond is issued to secure customs duties, significantly reducing bureaucratic hurdles and facilitating smoother cross-border trade

ABUJA, Nigeria, November 24, 2025/ — African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has urged Nigeria to champion the implementation of an effective regional transit guarantee scheme under the new transit regulation endorsed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Delivering a keynote address at the inaugural session of the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade (Customs PACT) held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 17 to 19 November, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development, Afreximbank, highlighted the challenges imposed by the current interstate road transit regime in the region. Key among them is the lack of a regional transit guarantee, leading to overdependence on physical escort of goods in transit by customs which drives up costs and results in inefficiencies.

Mrs. Awani said that Afreximbank was keen on working with Nigeria, ECOWAS and the ECOWAS Bank of Investment and Development to support the region to implement an effective regional transit guarantee system, which would complement the efforts of national insurers and chambers of commerce, and empower them to increase their capacity.

She said the Bank is currently implementing a US$1-billion transit guarantee scheme to facilitate the movement of goods across Africa by addressing persistent transit challenges and responding to the concerns of customs authorities about the risk of goods entering markets illegally, and about potential loss of customs duties and taxes.

Mrs. Awani explained that, under the Afreximbank African Collaborative Transit Guarantee Scheme, a single transit bond is issued to secure customs duties, significantly reducing bureaucratic hurdles and facilitating smoother cross-border trade, with the elimination of the need for multiple transit bonds enhancing trade efficiency and substantially lowering business costs.

She added that the scheme was already being implemented in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the East African Community (COMESA) under a US$300-million facility with ZEP RE (PTA Reinsurance Company), a reinsurer based in Nairobi, Kenya.  Mrs Awani highlighted that the scheme would save at least US$300 million annually in transit costs when fully implemented at a continental level.

She said that Afreximbank is open to working with Nigeria and other African countries to establish one-stop-border-posts and related infrastructure, building on its experience at the Beitbridge border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe. The modernisation of that border post, implemented with support of Afreximbank and other partners, resulted in clearance time at the post dropping from 3-5 days to a maximum of 3 – 5 hours.

Afreximbank, Mrs. Awani told delegates present, supported the event out of the realisation that unresolved soft infrastructure issues, particularly in customs and trade facilitation, would impede free movement of goods under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) if not addressed. According to Africa Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), she explained, 75 per cent of delays in the movement of goods is due to trade facilitation issues with just 25 per cent attributed to infrastructure gaps.

She also highlighted the challenge posed by lack of harmonised systems and their interoperability and by national customs systems that do not communicate with each other.

H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of Nigeria, sent a message of endorsement to the Customs PACT, saying that it aligned perfectly with the Nigerian government’s commitment to fostering regional integration, enhancing trade facilitation and positioning Nigeria and Africa as competitive players in the global economy.

The Customs PACT roundtable was organized to revolutionise customs and business cooperation, promote intra-African trade and position Africa as a formidable force in global trade. It was organised by the Nigeria Customs Service, in collaboration with Afreximbank, the AfCFTA Secretariat and supported by the World Customs Organization.  

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.