About 192 million of the 330 million people living in West Africa do not have access to electricity.

The Executive Director, Economic Community of West Africa State (ECOWAS) Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), Mr. Mahamah Kappiah, disclosed this during an oversight visit by members of ECOWAS Parliament to the centre in Praia, Cape Verde.

He said only eight per cent of rural population in the region has access to electricity, attributing the poor development to population growth.

Statistics released by the centre revealed that Sierra Leone has the least access rate to electricity in the ECOWAS region, with less than 30 per cent of its urban community and two per cent of its rural population having access to electricity.

Cape Verde, on the other hand, has the highest rate of access to electricity, with more than 90 per cent access rate in its urban community and 65 per cent in rural areas.

He said the centre has formulated a regional policy in collaboration with the 15 member states to come up with an action plan for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.