W.A. Power Pool seeks $156m for region’s key power transmission line

Business a.m

The West African Power Pool (WAPP), a regional energy agency that coordinates electricity development and trading in West Africa, has proposed a $156 million annual budget for the execution of its North Core transmission project. The 330kV project aims to link Nigeria with four other West African countries.

The project will involve the construction of 880km of 330kV transmission line and 33km of 225kV transmission line connecting Nigeria to Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Burkina Faso. The total cost of the project is estimated at $568 million. In addition, the transmission line will not only facilitate energy exchanges among the countries involved, but will also provide technical assistance to promote commercial agreements for the exchange of electricity and promote access to electricity for communities living along the transmission line.

Siengui Apollinaire, the secretary general of WAPP, who made the disclosure during the 7th meeting of the Joint Supervision Committee held in Abuja, explained that the issue of insecurity in the region has been a major challenge to the delivery of the project. Apollinaire emphasised that insecurity in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Benin Republic has affected the implementation of the project, but efforts are being made to ensure its timely delivery.

In his words, “We have to put in place some strategies to be able to continue the project. So the project was delayed. Sure we will not be able to conclude this in two years but we hope to make it in three years. That is rather than concluding it in 2024. I think we may be able to finish it by 2025.

“The commitment of the concerned states in the field of security is therefore essential for the project’s success. It is crucial to emphasise that a decisive step in realising this project lies in mobilising all stakeholders, particularly focusing on security challenges in the project area.

“For this year, the budget submitted for your consideration, equivalent to $156 million, will, barring unforeseen circumstances, complete the work in Nigeria and Benin.”

Also speaking, Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, WAPP chairman, and the managing director, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), explained that the north core project was conceived as a vital solution to address the substantial electricity supply-demand imbalance within the ECOWAS region.

Abdulaziz, who was represented by Aminu Tahir, pointed out that beyond the transmission lines, the project sets out to construct or extend five substations and deploy cutting-edge technologies like Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and fibre optic cables along the lines.

He said: “This project isn’t merely about transmitting electricity; it’s about creating a dynamic, interconnected network that will redefine our energy landscape. The North Core Project’s primary objective goes beyond infrastructure – it aims to catalyse efficient energy trade, encourage commercial exchange agreements, and bring electricity access to communities along the transmission line.

The project is being funded by a consortium of international organisations, including the World Bank, African Development Bank, European Union and the Nigerian government. Once completed, the project is expected to provide power generation companies in Nigeria with the ability to export excess electricity capacity of up to 13,000MW.