North core power project hits 75% completion, WAPP partners push for faster delivery

By Onu Okorie

The West African Power Pool (WAPP) North Core 330kV Interconnection Project, designed to link the electricity networks of Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger and Togo, has crossed the 75 per cent completion mark, with participating countries and development partners intensifying efforts to resolve outstanding challenges and accelerate delivery.
The regional electricity infrastructure project, expected to strengthen cross-border power trade and improve electricity supply security across West Africa, is entering a critical implementation phase, with stakeholders warning that delays in any of the participating countries could undermine the benefits of the entire investment.
The development was disclosed at the opening of the 8th Joint Supervision Mission of the project’s financing partners, held in Abuja from October 26 to November 6, 2026.
The meeting brought together representatives of participating countries, national electricity utilities and development partners to assess implementation progress, examine outstanding challenges and agree on practical measures to ensure timely completion.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the WAPP Executive Board and Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, the General Manager, Programme Coordination, TCN, Engr. Aminu Tahir, called for sustained cooperation, timely decision-making and stronger commitment from all stakeholders.
He said the achievement of more than 75 per cent completion reflected years of dedicated efforts by engineers, technicians, project personnel, participating governments and development partners.
Tahir stressed that the immediate priority was to complete the outstanding construction works and ensure that the huge investment translated into reliable electricity infrastructure capable of supporting regional power exchanges and strengthening the electricity networks of participating countries.
According to him, the project’s progress requires stakeholders to maintain the momentum and address implementation bottlenecks as it approaches the final stage.
In his address, the WAPP Secretary General, Mr Abdoulaye Dia, represented by the Director of Planning, Investment Programming and Environmental Safeguards, Mr Kodjo Afidegnon, described the project as a strategic intervention in West Africa’s electricity integration agenda.
He recalled that the initiative, launched in 2019, was designed to strengthen electricity supply security, facilitate cross-border electricity exchanges and accelerate the development of a regional electricity market.
However, Dia identified insecurity along sections of the project corridor, flooding, the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, difficult political circumstances and border closures as major factors that had slowed implementation.
He said the challenges had resulted in delays, increased project costs and suspension of construction activities in some locations to protect personnel.
Despite these setbacks, he noted that sustained collaboration among participating countries, national electricity utilities and financing partners had enabled the project to record significant progress.
Construction Advances Across Participating Countries
Providing updates on implementation, stakeholders highlighted developments in the five participating countries.
In Benin, the Malanville substation has received provisional acceptance, while work on the Niger River crossing is ongoing.
In Burkina Faso, the Ouaga Est and Ouaga Sud-Est substations, alongside 33 kilometres of 225kV transmission lines connecting them to the national network, have been commissioned.
Similarly, in Niger, equipment installed at Niamey II and Gazaoua has been operational since July, helping to stabilise the two existing 132kV transmission interconnection lines supplying electricity to the country from Nigeria.
In Nigeria, construction work is continuing on the 330kV transmission line, alongside preparations for its connection to the national grid in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
The progress across the countries underscores the regional significance of the project, which is expected to improve electricity transmission capacity and facilitate more efficient power exchanges among participating national grids.
Security Concerns, Contractor Performance Threaten Timeline
Beyond the construction challenges, development partners have identified security concerns and contractor performance as issues requiring urgent attention to protect the project’s completion schedule.
A representative of the African Development Bank (AfDB) said the supervision mission must be results-oriented, with emphasis on identifying practical solutions to outstanding implementation problems and accelerating construction activities.
The representative stressed that security challenges, particularly along vulnerable sections of the project corridor, must be addressed to enable contractors to resume and complete outstanding works safely.
The bank also warned that accelerated implementation must not come at the expense of environmental and social safeguards, occupational health and safety, or the protection of workers and host communities.
Of particular concern was the need to complete critical infrastructure in Niger, with the AfDB representative warning that delays in any participating country could undermine the expected benefits of the entire regional interconnection.
The bank reaffirmed its commitment to supporting participating governments, national electricity utilities and WAPP in resolving outstanding challenges and ensuring successful completion.
Project Creates 2,483 Jobs, Electrifies 170 Communities
Apart from its electricity transmission objectives, the North Core Project has recorded progress in its social and environmental development components.
The project has compensated 5,726 persons affected by its implementation, while almost all reported grievances have been resolved.
It has also facilitated the electrification of 170 communities in Burkina Faso and Niger and generated 2,483 jobs along the project corridor.
These interventions are expected to complement the project’s broader economic benefits by improving access to electricity, creating employment opportunities and supporting communities hosting the infrastructure.
The successful completion of the North Core Project is expected to strengthen regional electricity interconnection, expand cross-border electricity trading and improve cooperation among West African countries.
It is also expected to contribute to the development of a more integrated and reliable regional electricity market, allowing participating countries to benefit from available generation resources across national borders.
The supervision mission was attended by representatives of the African Development Bank, the World Bank, the WAPP North Core Project Management Unit, ministries responsible for energy and finance in participating countries, and national electricity utilities from Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and Togo.
With more than three-quarters of the project completed, attention is now shifting towards resolving outstanding construction and security challenges to ensure that the regional infrastructure delivers its intended benefits to West Africa’s electricity market.