By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) members have been charged to close ranks in pooling resources to meet growing regional electricity demands.
Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, Minister of Mines, Petroleum, and Energy, Côte d’Ivoire made the call in his opening remarks while presiding over the 19th Session of its General Assembly held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, with the theme: “Advancing the Regional Electricity Market: Overcoming Barriers and Building a Resilient Competitive Power Market.”
This was disclosed in a statement signed by Ndidi Mbah, the General Manager, Public Affairs of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Describing energy as a resource that transcends barriers, Mr Coulibaly stressed the importance of cross-border cooperation, commending WAPP (West African Power Pool) for its vital role in promoting regional integration and reaffirmed Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to advancing energy production and sharing to support the ECOWAS community’s growing electricity needs.
Addressing the Assembly, the Chairman of WAPP and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO), TCN, Engr Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, reaffirmed the commitment of member utilities to the organisation’s vision.
He announced the appointment of Mr Abdoulaye Dia from Senegal as the new Secretary General, beginning a three-year renewable term, and also welcomed eight new power utility members to the General Assembly.
Abdulaziz underscored the critical role of WAPP in fostering regional energy security, highlighting the advancements in interconnection and synchronisation efforts, bringing the region closer to a fully integrated electricity market.
Also stressing that the realisation of WAPP’s goals requires a united front among member states, utilities, and partners, he called for continued cross-border collaboration to address emerging challenges and unlock the full potential of the regional electricity market.
Speaking at the event, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalisation, Mr. Sediko Douka, provided an overview of ongoing efforts to enhance the electricity sector. He underscored the importance of robust institutional and regulatory frameworks, infrastructure development, and improved energy access.
He noted that challenges such as the demand-supply deficit and low electricity access remain critical barriers to the sector’s progress.
Mr Douka commended the progress made through the ECOWAS Master Plans for Electricity Generation and Transmission, highlighting the successful interconnection of 14 out of 15 ECOWAS countries and the near-completion of network synchronisation.
“These efforts, he noted, “are pivotal in establishing a reliable and cost-effective energy supply”, adding that final approvals for the WAPP Network Code and the Methodology for Regional Transmission Tariffs are expected by the end of the year, laying the foundation for the second phase of the regional electricity market.
Earlier, Acting Secretary General of the WAPP, Engr Nazif Abdukadir, presented key achievements, including the operationalisation of the Regional Market Information and Coordination Center (ICC) and the commissioning of the CLSG and OMVG transmission lines, which now interconnect all 14 mainland ECOWAS countries.
He also highlighted the successful pilot phase of the Regional Electricity Market and ongoing preparations for the second phase, which will integrate financial transactions and settlement systems.
Meanwhile, the representative of the Technical and Financial Partners of WAPP, Mrs Clara Winkler-Tomety, the Deputy Director of KfW in Abidjan, acknowledged the region’s challenges in establishing a competitive electricity market.
She emphasized the importance of adopting environmentally sustainable strategies and commended WAPP for laying a strong foundation for regional energy integration and emphasized the collective commitment of WAPP’s Technical and Financial Partners to continue their partnership with WAPP.
The General Assembly was preceded by meetings of the WAPP Organisational Committees of experts from member countries and member utilities.
The Chairman of Strategic Planning & Environmental Committee who also chaired the session of the Joint Committees’ meeting, Engr Kabiru M. Adamu, General Manager, System Planning & Development, TCN, noted that the robust engagement and the constructive dialogue during the meetings underscored the strength of collaboration and shared determination of the committees’ members to advance the mission of WAPP.
He expressed confidence that the resolutions and recommendations from the meeting will contribute to the realization of an integrated, reliable and sustainable regional electricity grid.
“As WAPP advances toward a unified electricity market, sustained collaboration remains essential; it is therefore crucial for all participating utilities to align their regulatory frameworks and adopt innovative approaches to ensure reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for the ECOWAS region,” he urged.