Nigeria has given the West African Power Pool (WAPP) 2023 as deadline for the commissioning of the 330KV WAPP Nigeria-Niger-Togo/Benin-Burkina North Core Interconnection Project.

Nigeria’s Minister of state for Power, Goddy Jedy Agba gave the deadline while launching the implementation of the project as one of the high point of activities marking the 14th session of WAPP General Assembly, in Abuja which theme is “ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market: Today and Future Opportunities”.

The project is a vital link for Power exchange among Nigeria, Niger, Togo/Benin, Burkina and beyond.

He noted that the launching of the project implementation marked another milestone in Nigeria’s common quest to achieve a regional electricity market within the sub-region and a further demonstration of the commitment of Nigeria to ensure that the energy integration ideals of ECOWAS is achieved.

He said, “The Implementation of the WAPP Northcore Project shall complement the already existing interconnections between Nigeria and Benin/Togo as well as Nigeria and Niger to facilitate power exchanges with the subregion thereby reinforcing the participation of Nigeria in the developing market.”

Agba expressed gratitude to the NEPAD-IPPF for supporting WAPP with the concerned utilities and countries to prepare the project for financing as well as the African Development Bank, Eumpean Union, French Development Agency and the World Bank for financing the implementation of the project.

According to the Minister, “Your respective interventions in this project shall among others, reinforce the integrity of the WAPP interconnected system, increase opportunities for cross border power exchanges, expand trade links among other countries in the sub-region, strengthen the national power systems of the involved countries, increase access and uplift the socioeconomic well-being of our populations especially the ones in the vicinity of the transmission line route.”

Earlier in his remarks, the WAPP Board Chairman, Usman Gur Mohammed, said that the launching of the project implementation symbolised the will of the involved countries and utilities to collaborate and synergize their efforts, as well as be part of the developing regional electricity market, to provide sustainable electricity supply to their respective populations both in the cities as well as the areas transversed by the interconnection line.

He said it further signified another concrete step in the attainment of a borderless energy landscape within West Africa as envisioned and directed by the ECOWAS Heads of state and government.

Mohammed urged all parties involved in the project to ensure strong engagement so as to beat the schedule of completion and ensure that the benefits reach the population in a timely manner.