ECOWAS awards regional fuel grade and vehicle emissions standards study to CITAC

ECOWAS, together with its partners the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARA) and the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO), launched a study for the development of a regional framework for the harmonisation of fuel grade and vehicle emission standards. The study was awarded to CITAC who, along with the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), is working to prepare regional directives on harmonised petroleum products and vehicle emission standards for the 15 ECOWAS states. The study is expected to take six months and has the following objectives:

• Development of a harmonised regional framework on fuel specifications and vehicle emission standards in the region, matching fuel specification evolution to changes in vehicle parc technology to achieve clean air objectives;
• Draft regional directives on petroleum products specifications (gasoline and diesel) and vehicle emission limits.

Endorsement of the final report and its recommendations is scheduled for December 2018.

ECOWAS states currently feature a wide range of specifications, as illustrated by the map below: