Abuja – West Africa’s ambitious plan to build an integrated regional electricity market is facing a critical delivery test, with insecurity, contractor performance problems and mounting implementation challenges threatening the completion of a major five-country transmission project that has achieved just over 75 per cent progress.
The West African Power Pool (WAPP) North Core 330kV Interconnection Project, linking Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo, is approaching a decisive stage, but financing partners have warned that unresolved bottlenecks in any of the participating countries could undermine the benefits of the entire regional electricity investment.
The warning came as representatives of the African Development Bank (AfDB), World Bank, participating governments and national electricity utilities opened the 8th Joint Supervision Mission in Abuja, scheduled to run from October 26 to November 6, 2026.
The mission is expected to scrutinise outstanding construction works, assess contractor performance, tackle security-related disruptions and establish practical measures for accelerating implementation without compromising the project’s completion schedule.
Representing the Chairman of the WAPP Executive Board and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, the General Manager, Programme Coordination, Engr. Aminu Tahir, called for stronger coordination, timely decisions and renewed commitment from all stakeholders.
Tahir said the 75 per cent completion milestone represented years of engineering commitment and cooperation among participating governments, technical personnel, contractors and development partners.
He stressed that the priority must now shift towards completing outstanding construction works and converting the massive investment into operational infrastructure capable of strengthening electricity transmission and facilitating reliable cross-border power exchanges.
The stakes are particularly high for Nigeria and its neighbouring countries, as the project is expected to deepen electricity trade, strengthen supply security and improve the capacity of national power systems to exchange available electricity.
The WAPP Secretary General, Mr Abdoulaye Dia, represented by the Director of Planning, Investment Programming and Environmental Safeguards, Mr Kodjo Afidegnon, said the project remained central to West Africa’s regional electricity integration agenda.
Launched in 2019, the initiative was designed to overcome the limitations of fragmented national electricity networks by creating stronger transmission connections and facilitating the development of a regional electricity market.
However, the project has encountered significant disruptions, including insecurity along sections of the construction corridor, flooding, the COVID-19 pandemic, supply-chain interruptions, difficult political circumstances and border closures.
Dia explained that these challenges had triggered delays, increased implementation costs and forced the suspension of construction activities in certain locations to protect workers and project personnel.
Despite these setbacks, progress has been recorded across the five-country corridor.
In Benin, the Malanville substation has received provisional acceptance, while work on the Niger River crossing is ongoing.
Burkina Faso has commissioned the Ouaga Est and Ouaga Sud-Est substations, alongside 33 kilometres of 225kV transmission lines connecting the facilities to the existing network.
In Niger, equipment installed at Niamey II and Gazaoua has been operational since July, helping stabilise two existing 132kV interconnection lines supplying electricity from Nigeria.
Nigeria is also advancing construction of its 330kV transmission line, with preparations underway for its integration into the national grid.
Beyond the engineering milestones, the project has recorded substantial social interventions, including compensation for 5,726 project-affected persons, with almost all reported grievances resolved.
It has also facilitated electricity connections to 170 communities in Burkina Faso and Niger and generated 2,483 jobs along the project corridor.
However, the African Development Bank has made it clear that the remaining implementation period requires more than routine progress assessments.
An AfDB representative said the supervision mission must identify concrete solutions to security threats, contractor performance weaknesses and other obstacles threatening timely completion.
The bank also cautioned that the push to accelerate construction must not compromise environmental and social safeguards, occupational health and safety standards, or the protection of workers and host communities.
Of particular concern is the completion of critical infrastructure in Niger, which the bank identified as essential to unlocking the full benefits of the regional interconnection.
It warned that delays in any participating country could weaken the overall value of the project, given the interconnected nature of the transmission infrastructure.
The AfDB reaffirmed its commitment to supporting WAPP, participating governments and national electricity utilities in resolving outstanding challenges and completing the project.
When fully delivered, the North Core interconnection is expected to strengthen electricity transmission across West Africa, expand cross-border power trading, improve regional supply security and support the development of a more integrated electricity market.
For Nigeria, the project offers an opportunity to deepen its electricity trade relationships with neighbouring countries while strengthening regional transmission cooperation.
The Abuja mission was attended by representatives of the African Development Bank, World Bank, WAPP North Core Project Management Unit, ministries responsible for energy and finance in the participating countries, and national electricity utilities from Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and Togo.
With more than 75 per cent of the project completed, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the participating countries can resolve the outstanding challenges and move the regional electricity ambition from construction milestones to full operational delivery.