The West African Power Pool (WAPP) has revised the completion date for the North Core Project to 2025, citing challenges such as insecurity. Mr. Apollinaire Ki, the Secretary-General of WAPP, made this announcement during the 7th meeting of its Joint Supervision Committee in Abuja, Nigeria.
The North Core Project, initially scheduled for completion in 2024, is a collaborative effort involving Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo. It encompasses about 900 kilometres of 330 kV transmission lines with five associated substations aimed at addressing electricity supply-demand imbalances within the ECOWAS region.
Mr. Apollinaire Ki emphasised the need to engage stakeholders to address security challenges in the project intervention areas, asserting that security issues pose a threat to achieving project objectives.
The Secretary-General also highlighted the progress made in project implementation but stressed that there is still much to be done. The total cost of the project is nearly US$700 million, with the initial budget at about US$600 million, which increased due to changes in the project’s scope.
During the meeting, the WAPP Executive Board Chairman and Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Abdulaziz, referred to the North Core Project as a beacon of hope for underserved and unserved communities in the involved countries.
He acknowledged the support of governments, individuals, corporate organisations, and technical and financial partners, including the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the European Union, and the French Development Agency.
The 7th meeting also aimed to adopt the annual plan and a proposed budget of US$156 million for 2024, intended to complete the project in Nigeria and Benin and make progress in Niger and Burkina Faso.
