Following the first workshop held in August 2024 in Abidjan, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), mandated by the heads of member states, continued its momentum with a second major workshop, held from 16 to 18 September 2025 in Accra, Ghana. Still supported by the AETS consultancy, this crucial step aims to establish a regional carbon market platform, a structural response to the limitations of the current fragmented system in West Africa.  

Between 2010 and 2023, the ECOWAS region generated only 9% of the voluntary carbon credits produced across the African continent, three times less than Kenya alone. This underperformance is mainly due to high transaction costs, caused by persistent information asymmetry between buyers and sellers, an unfavourable legal framework, and a general lack of knowledge about green financial instruments and climate finance mechanisms.

In response to these challenges, the creation of a carbon market platform within ECOWAS aims to reduce administrative and legal costs and facilitate access to green finance for member states.

The Accra workshop brought together a wide range of stakeholders: representatives of Member States, carbon market experts, international technical and financial partners (Standard & Poor's Global Ratings, BeZero Carbon, Environment for Development, Africa Energy Transition Services), as well as regional and international institutions such as the WAEMU Commission, the ARAA and the French Treasury.

Several strategic topics were discussed during the workshop, including an analysis of the current state of the carbon market in the region, global carbon credit market trends, criteria for defining high-quality carbon credits, and the framework for implementing the carbon market platform within ECOWAS.

In this regard, Member States approved the platform's framework document focused on creating a regional registry, pooling resources and capacities, and facilitating carbon credit transactions. A roadmap was also adopted, setting out the next steps towards operational implementation.  

This major breakthrough at the Accra workshop marks a decisive step forward for the region. AETS is proud to support ECOWAS in this strategic venture, contributing its expertise to build a robust, credible and sustainable regional platform that serves the environmental and economic ambitions of West Africa.