On 17 September 2025, the EELA Programme will host its first regional event in West Africa as part of the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF) 2025. The session, titled “ECOWAS Member States Energy Efficiency Compliance Frameworks, Laboratory Readiness, and Support Needs” will take place from 09:00 to 11:00 GMT at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center, Banjul, Gambia, in a hybrid format (in person and online).

Energy-efficient appliances and equipment are central to reducing energy demand, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and improving access to affordable energy. Yet, effective adoption across the ECOWAS region requires more than regional Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS); it depends on credible Monitoring, Verification, and Enforcement (MVE) systems and adequate technical infrastructure.

Despite the existence of regional MEPS and labelling frameworks for products such as lighting and cooling appliances in the ECOWAS region, enforcement remains limited due to gaps in laboratory infrastructure, institutional coordination, human and financial capacity, and awareness among importers and retailers.

The event will address these challenges by presenting institutional, procedural, and technical mechanisms for MEPS enforcement, including the establishment of regional reference laboratories for conformity assessments and product testing. Examples from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, where integrated compliance regimes, mandatory labelling, and customs collaboration have improved enforcement, will inform the discussions.

Participants will:

• Align national focal points on the operationalization of the regional compliance framework.
• Review and validate specifications for procuring testing equipment for designated laboratories.
• Reinforce the role of MVE systems in ensuring product compliance.
• Exchange technical experiences with counterparts from ECOWAS, EAC, and SADC, fostering South–South cooperation.

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English, French, and Portuguese to ensure inclusive participation.

Join the event through the following link:  https://ecreee-org.zoom.us/j/84342547459?pwd=bpLcRYGqKL1MwkivBhffhqi6saeHL1.1

AGENDA

08:30 – 09:00 Arrival and Registration of Participants -ECREEE

09:00 – 09:10 Opening Remarks - ECREEE, UNIDO           

09:10 – 09:25

Overview of the EELA Program (progress, objectives, country-level integration)

Technical Presentations on Public Procurement & E-Waste Guidelines - UNIDO

09:20 – 09:35 Energy Efficiency Policy Frameworks in ECOWAS (MEPS, labels, compliance mechanisms) - ECREEE

09:35 – 09:45 National Implementation and Enforcement Experiences

Q&A -NRCS (South Africa)

09:45 – 10:15  Presentation and Guided Discussion – Integration of Conformity tools, Product Registration, Inter-countries Collaboration, Market surveillance & Enforcement - Moderated by Chairperson Energy Commission (Ghana), ECREEE / UNIDO

10:15 – 10:25  Presentation and Guided Discussion – Mandatory labelling, customs enforcement Senegal or Côte d’Ivoire - ECREEE / UNIDO

10:25 – 10:55  Interactive Feedback Round, Q&A – Needs and priority areas for technical assistance from countries – ECREEE, UNIDO

10:55 – 11:00  Wrap-Up Session

• Summary of Key Takeaways, Agreement on Follow-up Actions

• Closing Remarks: Chairperson, UNIDO and ECREEE

11:00 – 11:30 - Break