Collage of group photos showing scholars and programme leads from the scholarship programme across several West African countries, celebrating their achievements and collaboration.

The EU–ECOWAS Scholarship Programme for Sustainable Energy was funded and launched in September 2022 by the European Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and delivered by the British Council. The programme provided fully funded master’s degrees to strengthen human-capital development in the West African electricity sector. As the EU-funded Programme reaches its closing stages, it is celebrating the achievements of its first cohort of scholars whose research is contributing to the region’s green-energy transition. The programme is now concluding, having supported postgraduate training and enhanced the capacity of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant education.

A high-impact partnership for energy security and innovation

The programme represents a significant partnership between the European Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), delivered by the British Council. It successfully addressed the high demand for sustainable energy expertise, receiving 10,442 applications and awarding scholarships to 72 academically outstanding candidates from 11 ECOWAS member states. Over 40% female representation was achieved among the scholarship recipients.

The program focused on fully funded master's degrees in sustainable energy at nine specialized higher-education institutions across six West African countries: Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo. The 72 scholars completed research work directly aligned with regional energy goals, strengthening capacity in sustainable energy and energy-efficiency systems. The research tackles real-world energy challenges, ranging from environmental monitoring systems and electric mobility to renewable-energy optimisation and air-quality monitoring. The overall impact includes strengthening regional capacity for renewable-energy innovation and building a pipeline of talented professionals to support sustainable-energy adoption and improved energy security across the region.

Success stories and milestones

The programme has produced a pipeline of professionals driving innovation. Scholars received mentorship to advance innovations that directly benefit the region, covering areas such as electric mobility, air-quality monitoring, renewable-energy optimisation, and national energy-demand reduction.

Notable achievements

  • Innovation: Development of locally relevant Battery Management Systems (BMS) and low-cost environmental monitoring systems.
  • Regional Visibility: Research outputs have provided scientific evidence for policy and infrastructure planning across the ECOWAS region.
  • Institutional Strengthening: The scholarship programme successfully enhanced the capacity of regional HEIs to deliver industry-relevant education.

From scholarship to impact: A legacy for West Africa

The scholarship programme is leaving a significant long-term legacy by creating a pipeline of skilled experts driving West Africa’s green-energy transition. The research produced strengthens regional capacity for renewable-energy innovation and provides critical scientific evidence for policy and infrastructure planning. The collective work advances energy efficiency, electric mobility, solar deployment, and supports public-health initiatives through enhanced environmental monitoring.

The scholars are now equipped to support ECOWAS member states in accelerating sustainable-energy adoption, reducing emissions, and improving energy security across the region. The successful completion of these projects demonstrates the strategic relevance of the program. We thank the European Union, ECOWAS, the British Council, and all partner academic institutions for their vital contributions to this regional development initiative.

Research contributions from scholars

Here is a selection of research outputs highlighting innovation in sustainable energy, demonstrating the capacity building achieved through the EU–ECOWAS Scholarship Programme.

Title Scholar name Institution Description
IoT-Enabled Predictive Maintenance and Energy Optimisation in Modern Inverter Systems Blessing Nneka Ben-Festus (Nigeria), under the supervision of Olugbenga A. Falode University of Ibadan, Nigeria A machine-learning-based Battery Management System improving safety and lifespan for inverter systems. 
Building a Low-Cost Environmental Monitoring System (SISEE) to Support Renewable Energy Planning Ruth Mawunyo Kokovena (Togo), under the supervision and co-supervision of Salami Adekunlé Akim and Guenoukpati Agbassou, respectively University of Lomé, Togo An affordable multi-sensor system capturing critical climate data for solar and coastal energy planning.
Determination of the Functional End-of-Life Threshold of EV Lithium-ion Batteries in Urban Lagos Godwin Josiah Ajisafe (Nigeria), with Olarewaju R.O under the supervision of Ayodele T. R & Ogunjuyigbe A. S University of Ibadan, Nigeria The first Lagos-specific model for predicting EV battery degradation using local driving data.
TGIME-ES: A Sustainable Energy Management and Solar Integration Solution Kevin Konan N’guessan (Côte d’Ivoire), under the supervision of Gbaha Prosper INP-HB, Côte d’Ivoire An intelligent energy management solution that reduced electricity bills by 28% in pilot sites. 
Machine-Learning-Based Performance Analysis of Low-Cost Air Quality Sensors Patience Yaa Dzigbordi Quashigah (Ghana), under the supervision of George Yaw Obeng Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana Research validating low-cost sensors for reliable CO₂ and particulate matter monitoring. 
Autonomous Electricity Generation from Household Waste: A Methanization Approach for Urban Households Amaya Essodjolo Emmanuel (Togo), under the supervision of Salami Adekunlé Akim University of Lomé, Togo A methanization to convert organic waste into biogas and then burned in a generator to provide a continuous and sustainable electricity supply.
Enhancing thermal energy storage efficiency in solar cookers using HDPE/ PLA blended phase change materials Emmanuella Brown Fasinu (Ghana), under the supervision of Richard Opoku & Eva Maria Haslhofer Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana Exceptional stability (retaining over 96% latent heat after rigorous aging) and competitive cost-effectiveness compared to traditional materials.
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