Assessment of the impact of renewable energy policy on sustainable energy for all in West Africa

Renewable energy plays an essential part in economic progress in today's societies. In this regard, West African countries have introduced ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy to promote the use of renewable energy sources. This study assessed the effects of ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy on primary energy supply using a sample of 15 West African countries from 2000 to 2018 with the difference-in-difference and the propensity score matching methods. Results show that the treatment effect of ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy has a significant and positive impact on primary energy supply in treated groups, resulting in a large percentage of the West African population having access to electricity. The results also demonstrate that the positive effect decreases in subsequent years after the policy implementation, implying further reforms and support would be necessary to achieve the collective long-term Sustainable Energy for All goals.