Speakers

Mr. Sédiko Douka is the new ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation. He has been the ECOWAS Commissioner for Energy and Mines since 1st March 2018.

Commissioner Sédiko Douka has successfully implemented several regional projects and programmes particularly the electricity interconnection of 13 ECOWAS Member States, effective functioning of the regional electricity market, coverage of regional energy demand from 45% to 53%, adoption of 18 Community texts including the mining code, petroleum code, hydrocarbon sector development policy, local content policy and corporate social responsibility in the geo-extractive sectors, among others.

Mr. Douka brings more than 31 years of professional experience in the design, resource mobilisation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects, development and harmonisation of regional policies, strategies and initiatives as well as procurement in the transport, energy, telecommunications and water infrastructure and geo-extractive sectors.

He also has an extensive knowledge of the procedures and rules of major development partners, an international experience of 20 years including three years in the United Nations System and 13 years at the ECOWAS Commission where he held the position of Director D2, prior to being appointed Commissioner.

Mr. Douka joined ECOWAS as Regional Advisor on Infrastructure Development, and staff of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in the context of the technical cooperation between ECOWAS and UNECA (2009-2012). He subsequently contributed to the development of several regional sectoral policy documents in the energy, transport and telecommunication sectors and served as the ECOWAS Focal Person for the African Union's Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). He also contributed to the establishment of ECOWAS specialised agencies such as PPDU, ERERA and ECREEE.

Prior to that, Mr Douka worked for 7 years (2002-2009) at the Headquarters of the Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) in Dakar, Senegal, a multinational organisation of 17 member countries and at Niger Electricity Company, NIGELEC for 11 years (1991-2002), a public company in charge of power generation, transmission, distribution and marketing in the Republic of Niger.