Nigeria steps up construction of West African power transmission line to link up with Ecowas neighbours

NIGERIA has stepped up construction of a West African electricity transmission line aimed at connecting the country with three other nations across the sub region under an ambitious regional power scheme.

Constructed under the West Africa Power Pool (Wapp) North Core Project, the transmission line, when completed, will connect Nigeria to the Republic of Niger, Burkina Faso and the Republic of Benin. Sule Abdulaziz, the managing director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the chairman of the Wapp executive board, said the pool was committed to completing the project by 2023.

Mr Abdulaziz said: “The Wapp North Core Project that seeks to interconnect Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso and Benin is in the implementation phase with the procurement process underway. The project is expected to be completed by 2023 and is part of efforts of the Wapp to integrate the power systems of West African countries by delivering priority projects, which would ensure that all 14 countries in the mainland of Ecowas are eventually interconnected.”

According to Mr Abdulaziz, other projects undertaken within the West African sub-region include the construction of the 330kV Volta Ghana-Lome C line and a  Togo-Sakété (Benin) inter-connection line that has been completed and will soon be energised. He said the Wapp Cote d’Ivoire–Sierra Leone–Guinea project would also be inaugurated soon.

Mr Abdulaziz said Wapp had continued to make efforts towards the effective operation of Ecowas regional electricity by harmonising market rules and agreements of participants on regulatory issues. This, he said, would ensure flexibility in the power system and increase trading opportunities for market participants, among others.