AFREC Conducts Regional Training Workshop in Cotonou to Advance Energy Statistics and Validate 2024 National Energy Balances

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May 13, 2026

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Cotonou, Benin - 13 May 2026: The African Energy Commission (AFREC), in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Mines of the Republic of Benin and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), successfully conducted a three-day regional training to enhance energy statistics and validate the 2024 national energy balances. The training, hosted from 4^th to 6^th May 2026, brought together senior experts from ministries responsible for energy, national statistical offices, and specialised technical institutions from 25 African Union Member States.

The workshop forms part of AFREC’s continental mandate to promote the collection, harmonisation, analysis, and dissemination of credible, timely, and comparable energy data for Africa.

Speaking at the official opening of the training, Mr Assan Todéman Flinso, Director General of Energy Planning and Rural Electrification at the Ministry of Energy of Benin underscored the importance of modern energy information systems in Africa. “Benin has recently modernised its energy information systems to respond more effectively to the needs of energy data users. So, this training could not have come at a better time as we aim to exchange experiences and promote best practices in producing high-quality energy statistics across Africa.” Mr Flinso said.

Representing the AFREC Executive Director, Mr Rashid Ali Abdallah, AFREC’s Head of Division Energy Information Systems and Statistics (EISS), Samson Bel-Aube Nougbodohoue, highlighted the importance of statistics for the continent’s emerging policy, investment, and development needs. “What you are seeing today is AFREC’s commitment to supporting member states in having accurate, reliable and harmonised data. We need this momentum to continue so that we strengthen not only energy information systems but also improve the quality of energy balances that member states produce.” Mr Nougbodohoue

Meanwhile, the World Bank through its Senior Economist and Statistician Félicien Accrombessy, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting African countries in their energy transition through strengthened human and institutional capacities, robust statistical systems, and the promotion of sustainable energy solutions. “We need strong and efficient statistical systems. These are critical to accelerating Africa’s energy transition and expanding access to modern energy services for millions still without reliable energy access.”

And the ECOWAS Resident Representative in Benin, Ambassador Amadou Diongue, reiterated the need for strengthening energy statistics in Africa. “Robust national Energy Information Systems, interconnected at the regional level, would enhance data sharing, improve transparency, and support timely decision-making for strategic investments in the energy sector.” Ambassador Diongue said.

The Cotonou training also included a technical review and validation of the draft 2024 national energy balances, one of the most critical instruments for measuring energy production, imports, exports, transformation processes, and final consumption across all sectors of the economy. The sessions involved participants working closely with AFREC to assess the consistency and completeness of national data submissions; address statistical discrepancies and classification issues; update missing or incomplete information; validate estimation methodologies where required; and to align national balances with internationally recognised energy accounting standards.

In addition to contributing to the implementation of the African Union Agenda 2063, the African Single Electricity Market, and Sustainable Development Goal 7, these initiatives ensure that strong energy data systems remain indispensable to informed decision-making and transformative action across the continent.

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