Five scholars from the EU-ECOWAS Scholarship Programme are pioneering research in sustainable energy, from electric mobility and solar integration to affordable air-quality monitoring, driving West Africa's transition to a greener, more resilient energy future.
The EU-ECOWAS Scholarship Programme for Sustainable Energy, funded and launched in September 2022 by the European Union in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and delivered by the British Council, is celebrating the achievements of its first cohort of scholars, whose research is already contributing to the region's green-energy transition.
The programme offers fully funded master's degrees in sustainable energy at nine specialised higher-education institutions across Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo. Demand for the programme has been exceptionally high. From 10,442 applications, 72 academically outstanding candidates from 11 ECOWAS member states were awarded scholarships, with women representing over 40% of recipients.
Its core aim is to strengthen human capital in West Africa's electricity sector by supporting postgraduate training and enhancing the capacity of higher-education institutions to deliver industry-relevant education in sustainable energy and energy-efficiency systems. Alongside rigorous academic study, scholars receive research support and mentorship to advance innovations that directly benefit the region.
All 72 scholars under the programme have now completed their research in sustainable energy. This release highlights five scholars whose work exemplifies the transformative impact of the programme, tackling real-world energy challenges from electric mobility and air-quality monitoring to renewable-energy optimisation, environmental data systems, and national energy-demand reduction.
Blessing Nneka Ben-Festus, Nigeria
At the University of Ibadan, Blessing developed one of the first locally relevant Battery Management Systems (BMS) for Nigeria's widely used inverter systems. By integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) with machine-learning-based predictive maintenance, her study demonstrated how low-cost hardware and advanced analytics can improve safety and energy performance in household backup-power systems. Her BMS uses a three-sensor platform to monitor voltage, current, and temperature, alongside a remote-data system powered by an Arduino microcontroller and a GSM module. Machine-learning models achieved 99% accuracy in predicting battery ageing and 92% accuracy in decision-tree diagnostics, resulting in enhanced battery safety, lifespan, and reliability. This innovation promises to reduce energy waste, lower household costs, and strengthen confidence in decentralised solar and inverter systems across the region.
Click here to read the full research.
Ruth Mawunyo Kokovena, Togo
At the University of Lomé, Ruth developed SISEE, an affordable, multi-sensor environmental monitoring system designed for areas where high-precision weather stations are prohibitively expensive. SISEE captures temperature, humidity, solar irradiation, tidal levels, and GPS location using open-source software and low-cost sensors. Its measurements achieve temperature accuracy within ±0.5°C, solar irradiation tracking with over 80% correlation, and effective tidal monitoring for coastal energy planning, with real-time data transmission and visualisation. SISEE supports solar-resource assessment, coastal-energy planning, climate monitoring, and decentralised data collection, enhancing national energy strategies across ECOWAS countries.
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Godwin Josiah Ajisafe, Nigeria
Under the supervision of Ayodele T. R and Ogunjuyigbe A.S at the University of Ibadan, Godwin developed the first Lagos-specific model for predicting the end-of-life of electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries under real urban driving conditions. Using machine-learning algorithms such as Support Vector Regression, Random Forest, and Decision Trees, he incorporated local data on temperature, humidity, traffic intensity, driving behaviour, and charging patterns. The model achieved near-perfect predictive accuracy, identifying heat and stop-and-go traffic as major contributors to battery degradation. His work provides a foundation for EV fleet management, charging infrastructure planning, and battery-recycling initiatives, supporting realistic EV-policy development and the growth of clean transport systems in West Africa.
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Kevin Konan N'guessan, Côte d'Ivoire
At INP-HB, Kevin created TGIME-ES, an intelligent energy-management solution that reduces electricity consumption while enhancing solar integration across residential, commercial, and industrial sites. Within four months, the system saved 22,962 kilowatt-hours of energy, reducing electricity bills by 28% and generating cost savings of over two million West African CFA francs. National-scale modelling indicates that TGIME-ES could slow electricity-demand growth by more than 50%. This locally developed solution offers a scalable approach to energy efficiency, reduced grid pressure, and improved adoption of solar technologies across the region.
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Patience Yaa Dzigbordi Quashigah, Ghana
At Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Patience evaluated two low-cost air-quality sensors, costing around USD 100, as alternatives to reference-grade stations priced up to USD 250,000. Using machine-learning calibration, she improved the accuracy of monitoring carbon dioxide, fine and ultra-fine particulate matter, temperature, humidity, and methane. Her study demonstrated that low-cost sensor networks can provide reliable environmental data for large-scale monitoring, supporting solar-energy forecasting, informing emissions policy, and raising community-level environmental awareness.
Click here to read the full research.
These five projects illustrate the success and strategic relevance of the EU-ECOWAS Scholarship Programme for Sustainable Energy. Collectively, they strengthen regional capacity for renewable-energy innovation, provide scientific evidence for policy and infrastructure planning, support environmental monitoring and public-health initiatives, advance energy efficiency and electric mobility, and build a new generation of skilled experts driving West Africa's green-energy transition. The programme is creating a pipeline of talented professionals poised to help ECOWAS member states accelerate sustainable-energy adoption, reduce emissions, and improve energy security across the region.