Power Africa: Israel’s Gigawatt Global signs a deal with ECOWAS

The West African Power Pool (WAPP) has entered into a landmark strategic relationship with an Israeli company, solar developer Gigawatt Global signing a deal with ECOWAS, the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States to build $1 billion of renewable energy projects in the region.

According to a statement from Israeli Embassy in Nigeria signed by its Press Officer Zanswat Bowsan, the deal was made possible following Israel’s deep and long lasting relations with Africa specifically boosted by initiatives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meant to strengthen those ties with the continent as highlighted in Liberia, on June 5th 2017, addressing the ECOWAS Head of State Summit.

“With that spirit and on the sides of the summit, Ambassador Guy Feldman, Israel Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, initiated a meeting attended by ECOWAS Energy Commissioner Mr. Meba Germain Essohouna, the Head of the West African Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Morlaye Bangoura and Mr. Josef Abramowitz Gigawatt Global CEO who already exploring solar fields in 10 African countries.

Netanyahu with the West African States leaders, ECOWAS 2017

“Following a series of rigorous meetings with ECOWAS energy commission stakeholders, looking into power supply forecasts, challenges and plans for the ECOWAS region, a letter of intent was signed between H.E. Marcel De Souza, President of the ECOWAS Commission, and the company, to develop an 800 MW of trans-boundary green energy projects across the West African region,” the statement said. .

Continuing, it stated that the deal will help build the West Africa Power Pool, which is a unit of the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS. It was set up to implement this agreement and create a regional electricity system. The deal builds on an agreement inked by the U.S. and Israel, December 4th 2017, where the two governments pledged to work together to reduce energy poverty in Africa.

“Ambassador Feldman said today – “This MOU signed with WAPP, is a powerful metaphor to the West and the rest of Africa. It paves the way for future Israeli innovation, which whenjoined by visionaries and institutions can challenge anything and create hope for all,” it concluded.