The Economic Community of West African States Commission (ECOWAS) has announced a donation of $380 million for public schools and health centres in 18 African countries.

The donation was announced by the Senior Adviser on the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project at the ECOWAS Commission, El hadji Sylla, during a stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

According to Sylla, with the move, the ECOWAS aims to promote a new innovative chain to electrify public schools.

Sylla, who stated the goals of the initiative funded by the World Bank, the Clean Technology Fund, and the Dutch government, revealed that the project will kick off from Nigeria and Benin.

He noted that the project covers 15 countries in the ECOWAS region.

According to Sylla “The cost of the project is $380m, and we want to promote a new innovative chain to electrify public institutions. Our target is to electrify schools and health centres to improve service delivery.

“We are piloting the project in Nigeria and the Benin Republic. The project covers 15 countries in the ECOWAS region and four countries in the Sahel region,” Sylla said.

“We are targeting schools and health centres to improve service delivery,” Sylla said, adding that the project is expected to be completed in five years across all participating countries, with the pilot phase in Nigeria and Benin to be executed within 18 months.

In Nigeria, the initiative will begin with electrification projects in selected schools and health centres in the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, and Nasarawa states,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who was represented at the meeting by Bem Ayangeaor, noted that electrification in Nigeria has seen significant growth.

He, however, attributed the growth to the grants and subsidies flowing into the sector.

“I do not doubt that the rural electrification space in Nigeria, thanks to grants and subsidies, has grown significantly and will soon reach a stage where public support leverages private sector financing at higher efficiencies than it is presently done.

“A stage where the private sector would be more excited in investing in the electrification space because of the benefits to be gained,” Adelabu said.

Dupe Olusola has announced the launch of the Next Generation Foundation, a philanthropic fund dedicated to improving the lives of underserved and vulnerable children through education.

With this foundation, Olusola, the Managing Director/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, is extending her lifelong commitment to empowering others, driven by a deep belief in the transformative power of education. The foundation’s vision is for every child to have access to quality education, and a chance at a better life.

Reflecting on her motivation to create the foundation, Olusola shared: “Education changes lives—it opens doors to a future filled with opportunities, particularly for children who might otherwise be left behind. Nigeria faces one of the highest out-of-school populations globally. With the Next Generation Foundation, I hope we can make a meaningful difference in changing that.”

To mark her 50th birthday, Olusola has introduced the foundation’s flagship initiative, the 50 by 50 project – a multiyear scholarship program (commencing in the 2024/2025 academic session), for 50 children, between the ages of 6 to 18, from low-income families.

The 50 by 50 project will provide free tuition, books, school uniforms, nutrition programs, access to health services, and mentorship to the beneficiaries, starting in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun states.

This effort will be powered by partnerships with leading social impact organizations focused on education.

Through the Next Generation Foundation, Dupe Olusola aims not only to provide access to education but also to support broader education reform initiatives across Nigeria. More details can be found at www.dupeolusola.com.