Reshaping ECOWAS: Strategic Gas Infrastructure and Market Integration

The paper argues that while West Africa possesses over 300 Tcf of proven gas reserves, regional prosperity is hindered by regulatory fragmentation, bilateral financing that bypasses regional coordination, and global decarbonization risks. It recommends the adoption of a binding regional gas code, the creation of a 5 billion USD Gas Infrastructure Development Fund, and the establishment of a West African Gas Task Force to align national and external investments with a 10-year regional roadmap.

• West African ECOWAS member states hold more than 300 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven gas reserves, with Nigeria holding approximately 211.1 Tcf in 2024, Senegal reporting 100 Tcf, Ghana 2.024 Tcf (2014), Côte d’Ivoire 1.191 Tcf (2019), and Benin 0.078 Tcf.
• Regional gas integration is obstructed by a lack of unified frameworks, where energy functions are split across agencies like WAPP, ERERA, and ECREEE, and national priorities often override a cohesive regional strategy.
• External financing from global powers, specifically China and the European Union, often follows bilateral government-to-government loans that bypass ECOWAS coordination, leading to technical and regulatory fragmentation.
• The global transition toward decarbonization creates 'transition risk' for natural gas, potentially depressing prices and demand, which may lead to stranded assets and makes new gas infrastructure inconsistent with a 1.5°C climate pathway.
• The authors propose three primary reforms: a binding regional gas code to harmonize safety and design standards; a 5 billion USD ECOWAS Gas Infrastructure Development Fund (EGIDF) to attract private capital; and a West African Gas Task Force to manage a 10-year regional roadmap.

APA

Nzhadzhaba, D., & Onitekun, O. (2025). Reshaping ECOWAS: Strategic Gas Infrastructure and Market Integration. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/reshaping-ecowas-strategic-gas-infrastructure-and-market-integration

Chicago

Nzhadzhaba, Dieketseng, and Olumide Onitekun. Reshaping ECOWAS: Strategic Gas Infrastructure and Market Integration. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2025. https://afripoli.org/reshaping-ecowas-strategic-gas-infrastructure-and-market-integration.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Nzhadzhaba |first1=Dieketseng |last2=Onitekun |first2=Olumide |title=Reshaping ECOWAS: Strategic Gas Infrastructure and Market Integration |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=16 December 2025 |url=https://afripoli.org/reshaping-ecowas-strategic-gas-infrastructure-and-market-integration |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{nzhadzhaba2025reshaping, author = {Nzhadzhaba, Dieketseng and Onitekun, Olumide}, title = {{Reshaping ECOWAS: Strategic Gas Infrastructure and Market Integration}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2025}, month = dec, url = {https://afripoli.org/reshaping-ecowas-strategic-gas-infrastructure-and-market-integration}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }