By Gabriel Ameh
ABUJA | Media360Impact Report
West African countries are stepping up efforts to build a unified regional electricity market, with Guinea urging governments to prioritise power-sharing and regional cooperation over operating isolated national electricity systems.
The call was made by Guinea’s Prime Minister and Head of Government, Amadou Oury Bah, while opening the 21st General Assembly of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) in Conakry.
The assembly brought together energy ministers, electricity utility executives, transmission operators and international development partners to discuss regional electricity integration, infrastructure development and the expansion of cross-border power trade.
Representing President Mamadi Doumbouya, Bah said electricity should be treated not only as a national resource but also as a foundation for regional sovereignty, economic competitiveness, social development and stability.
He urged WAPP member countries to build a stronger West African energy community based on shared standards, reliable infrastructure and collective responsibility.
The Prime Minister described the interconnection of electricity networks across the 15 countries participating in the regional power pool as evidence of what regional cooperation could achieve.
He reaffirmed Guinea’s commitment to regional integration, highlighting the country’s strategic hydropower investments, including the Kaleta and Souapiti dams, as well as planned projects such as Koukoutamba, Sambangalou and Amaria.
According to him, these projects could position Guinea as a major electricity supplier within West Africa and strengthen energy security across the sub-region.
Guinea, he added, remained committed to supporting a more integrated, efficient and united regional electricity market.
WAPP targets stronger electricity market and accountability
Guinea’s Minister of Energy, Laye Sékou Camara, said the General Assembly should move beyond discussions and translate regional commitments into measurable results.
He stressed that the effectiveness of WAPP depended on members honouring their obligations, maintaining financial discipline and regularly paying statutory contributions.
Camara explained that expanding electricity access within individual countries should complement, rather than compete with, regional electricity exchanges.
He also cautioned against confusing installed electricity generation capacity with the actual ability to deliver power to consumers, noting that transmission infrastructure and cross-border connections remained critical.
Describing interconnection as a form of mutual insurance between countries, he recalled how Guinea benefited from electricity support from Senegal following the December 2023 fire at the Coronthie fuel depot.
He linked the country’s electricity ambitions to the Simandou 2040 development programme and the goal of achieving universal electricity access.
The minister called for credible financial support mechanisms, stronger institutional capacity, compliance with regional rules and greater participation of women in the energy sector.
Regional electricity market to introduce competition in 2027
The Chairman of the WAPP Executive Board, Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, disclosed that the second phase of the regional electricity market was scheduled for launch in early 2027.
He explained that the new phase would introduce a day-ahead electricity market, allowing participating countries to trade power based on supply and demand through an organised, transparent and non-discriminatory system.
According to him, the development would mark a significant transition from infrastructure investment and bilateral electricity agreements to a more competitive regional trading system.
He said the market would require strict compliance with operational rules, reliable real-time data exchange, accurate electricity metering and dependable financial settlement arrangements.
Abdulaziz also disclosed that ongoing institutional reforms would establish an independent system and market operator, separating the management of electricity networks from market operations to strengthen fairness and transparency.
He stressed that the transition must be carefully managed to avoid disrupting existing operations or weakening the continuity provided by WAPP’s Information and Coordination Centre.
On financial sustainability, he highlighted the proposed Liquidity Enhancement Revolving Fund as an important mechanism for improving the financial security of electricity transactions.
He urged member countries to treat their statutory contributions as essential obligations rather than administrative requirements.
West Africa targets full electricity network synchronisation
Earlier, WAPP Secretary-General Abdoulaye Dia highlighted the successful synchronisation of the electricity networks of the 15 participating West African countries for four hours and five minutes on November 8, 2025.
He said a further test scheduled for November 2026, targeting 48 hours of continuous synchronisation, was expected to consolidate the achievement and prepare the region for permanent network synchronisation.
Dia noted that electricity consumers and businesses across West Africa increasingly expected reliable supply, improved service quality, affordable energy and stronger security of supply.
He said WAPP had a responsibility to transform regional interconnection from infrastructure development into practical and sustainable cooperation that supports economic and social development.
The Secretary-General also highlighted progress on the regional electricity tariff framework, including decisions adopted in 2026 by the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority.
These include the transmission tariff methodology, tariff calculation procedures and market fees designed to support regional electricity trading.
He identified the regional electricity market as an important instrument for addressing power supply challenges and improving energy resilience across West Africa.
17 transmission operators sign regional agreement
The Director-General of Guinea’s national electricity utility, Electricité de Guinée (EDG), El Hadji Gando Barry, welcomed participants and emphasised the shared responsibility of WAPP members to provide reliable, accessible and sustainable electricity.
He said regional integration would allow countries to maximise their different energy resources while strengthening cooperation and solidarity between national electricity systems.
A major outcome of the assembly was the signing of the Inter-grid Operators Agreement by 17 Transmission System Operators within the regional power pool.
The agreement is expected to strengthen operational cooperation and establish a framework for coordinated electricity transmission across interconnected national networks.
The General Assembly underscored the growing importance of regional electricity integration in addressing West Africa’s energy challenges.
With the planned introduction of the day-ahead electricity market in 2027 and continued efforts towards full network synchronisation, WAPP is seeking to transform regional power cooperation into a more reliable and competitive electricity system.
For countries facing electricity supply and infrastructure challenges, the initiative could create opportunities to access power from neighbouring states, improve energy security and support regional economic growth.
Source: West African Power Pool (WAPP), report on the 21st General Assembly in Conakry, Guinea, including remarks by the Prime Minister of Guinea, the Minister of Energy, WAPP leadership and participating transmission operators.
