West African Power Pool (WAPP) faces delays in the North Core Project’s completion until 2025 due to political crises and insecurity.
The ambitious project aims to supply electricity from Nigeria to landlocked West African nations, encountering setbacks from regional security challenges.
The West African Power Pool (WAPP) is grappling with unforeseen challenges as political crises and insecurity in Burkina Faso and Niger threaten to delay the completion of the vital North Core Project until 2025, according to Siengui Apollinaire KI, the Secretary-General of WAPP.
Speaking at the 7th meeting of the Joint Supervision Committee (JSC) in Abuja, KI highlighted the project’s significance, aiming to supply electricity from Nigeria to landlocked nations such as Burkina Faso, Niger, Togo, Benin Republic, and other West African countries. This ambitious venture, with an estimated cost of nearly $7 million, holds the potential to open new markets for energy generation companies in Nigeria.
Funded by major contributors including the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the European Union, the project’s financing is led by the World Bank, providing 60% of the required funds. However, KI acknowledged the impact of regional security challenges on the project timeline.
“When we started this project, we were thinking of two years to conclude it, but you know that the region has been confronted with security issues. There were wars in countries like Burkina Faso and Niger. This is a big challenge for us. So, the project was delayed. Surely, we will not be able to conclude it in two years, but we hope to make it in three years. That is, rather than concluding it in 2024, we will be able to finish it in 2025,” he explained.
The setbacks posed by political instability underscore the complexities associated with cross-border infrastructure projects in regions facing security concerns. Despite the hurdles, the commitment to the WAPP project remains steadfast, with a renewed target for completion in 2025. The WAPP initiative aims not only to enhance regional connectivity but also to foster economic development by addressing the energy needs of multiple West African nations.
