EU–ECOWAS Scholarship Programme Highlights Research Driving West Africa’s Sustainable Energy Transition

The EU–ECOWAS Scholarship Programme for Sustainable Energy is beginning to deliver tangible results, as research from its first cohort of scholars contributes directly to West Africa’s transition towards cleaner, more resilient energy systems.

Launched in September 2022, the programme is funded by the European Union (EU), implemented in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and delivered by the British Council. Its core objective is to strengthen human-capital development in the West African electricity sector by supporting advanced postgraduate education, applied research, and institutional capacity building in sustainable energy and energy efficiency.

Through the initiative, selected scholars received fully funded master’s degrees at nine specialised higher-education institutions across Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo. The programme focuses not only on academic excellence but also on ensuring that research outputs address real-world energy challenges facing the region.

Strong Demand and Regional Representation

Interest in the EU–ECOWAS Scholarship Programme has been exceptionally high. From 10,442 applications, just 72 academically outstanding candidates from 11 ECOWAS member states were selected. Notably, more than 40 per cent of the scholars are women, reflecting a deliberate effort to promote gender inclusion in the energy sector.

All 72 scholars successfully completed research projects in areas spanning renewable energy systems, energy efficiency, electric mobility, environmental monitoring, and data-driven decision-making. Their work collectively supports ECOWAS’ ambition to expand access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy while reducing emissions and improving energy security.

Among these graduates, five scholars stand out for the immediate and practical relevance of their research.

Research with Practical Impact

Blessing Nneka Ben-Festus (Nigeria), a graduate of the University of Ibadan, focused on improving the performance and safety of inverter-based backup power systems widely used across Nigeria. Her research developed an IoT-enabled Battery Management System (BMS) that combines low-cost hardware with machine-learning-based predictive maintenance.

The system integrates sensors for voltage, current, and temperature, supported by remote data transmission and analytics. With predictive accuracy reaching 99 per cent for battery ageing, the solution demonstrates how local innovation can significantly enhance battery lifespan, safety, and reliability. For households and small businesses across ECOWAS, the implications include reduced energy waste, lower costs, and greater confidence in decentralised solar and inverter solutions.

In Togo, Ruth Mawunyo Kokovena of the University of Lomé addressed the lack of affordable environmental data critical to renewable-energy planning. Her project, known as SISEE, is a low-cost, multi-sensor environmental monitoring system capable of tracking temperature, humidity, solar irradiation, tidal levels, and GPS location.

By leveraging open-source software and inexpensive sensors, SISEE delivers accuracy comparable to entry-level commercial stations. The system supports solar-resource assessment, coastal-energy planning, and decentralised climate data collection, offering ECOWAS countries a scalable alternative to costly monitoring infrastructure.

Supporting Electric Mobility and Energy Efficiency

Electric mobility was the focus of Godwin Josiah Ajisafe (Nigeria), also based at the University of Ibadan, under the supervision of Ayodele T. R. and Ogunjuyigbe A. S. His research produced the first Lagos-specific model for predicting the end-of-life threshold of electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries under real urban driving conditions.

Using machine-learning techniques trained on local environmental and traffic data, the study achieved near-perfect predictive accuracy. The findings identify heat and stop-and-go traffic as major contributors to battery degradation. This work provides a critical evidence base for EV policy, fleet management, charging infrastructure planning, and battery recycling strategies across West Africa.

In Côte d’Ivoire, Kevin Konan N’guessan of INP-HB developed TGIME-ES, an intelligent energy-management and solar-integration system designed to reduce national electricity demand growth. Deployed across residential, commercial, and industrial sites, the system delivered measurable results within just four months, including energy savings exceeding 22,000 kilowatt-hours and electricity-bill reductions of up to 28 per cent.

Modelling at national scale suggests TGIME-ES could slow demand growth by more than 50 per cent, offering ECOWAS countries a locally developed, scalable pathway to improved energy efficiency and reduced pressure on national grids.

Affordable Environmental and Air-Quality Monitoring

Patience Yaa Dzigbordi Quashigah (Ghana), from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), focused on air-quality monitoring using low-cost sensors. Her research evaluated sensors costing around USD 100, compared with reference-grade equipment priced at up to USD 250,000.

By applying machine-learning calibration techniques, the study significantly improved the accuracy of measurements for carbon dioxide (CO₂), particulate matter (PM₂.₅, PM₁, PM₁₀), temperature, humidity, and methane. The findings demonstrate that affordable sensor networks, when properly calibrated, can support large-scale environmental monitoring, emissions policy, solar forecasting, and community-level awareness.

Building Capacity for a Green Energy Future

Collectively, these projects illustrate the strategic value of the EU–ECOWAS Scholarship Programme for Sustainable Energy. The research strengthens regional innovation capacity, provides evidence for policy and infrastructure planning, supports environmental and public-health initiatives, and advances clean transport, solar deployment, and energy efficiency.

Beyond individual achievements, the programme is building a pipeline of skilled professionals equipped to support ECOWAS member states in accelerating the adoption of sustainable energy solutions. As West Africa confronts rising energy demand, climate risks, and the need for inclusive growth, the impact of this investment in human capital is already becoming clear.