Despite crippling shortages, Nigeria will sell electricity to neighbours – Niger, Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso

Nigeria to export electricity to 4 West African countries

Four West African countries – Niger, Togo, Benin, and Burkina Faso – will partner to buy the unused electricity produced in Nigeria, Chairman, Executive Board of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz disclosed on Wednesday.

Abdulaziz said at the WAPP meeting on the Northcore project in Abuja that Nigeria to export electricity “that is not needed in Nigeria. The generators that are going to supply power to this transmission line are going to generate that power specifically for this project. So it is unutilized power.”

He also disclosed that Nigeria is expecting new generators to participate in the energy export for the 875 kilometre, 330 kilovolts Northcore transmission line from Nigeria through Niger, Togo, Benin to Burkina Faso.

“In addition, there are some communities that are under the line route, about 611 of them, which will be getting power so that there won’t be just a transmission line passing without impact.”

READ ALSO: Nigeria among countries with largest electricity access deficit – World Bank

Abdulaziz who is also the acting Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said the project, funded by World Bank, French Development Council and the African Development Bank, had  recorded progress, adding that the energy ministers would be addressing security issues for the project at another meeting in Abuja.

He said, “Nigeria has the greatest advantage among these countries because the electricity is going to be exported from Nigerian Gencos (generation companies).

 “So, from that, the revenue is going to be enhanced and a lot of people will be employed in Nigeria.”

The Secretary-General, WAPP, Siengui Appolinaire-Ki, said the cost of the project was about $570m, adding that part of the investment in each country would be funded by that particular nation.

He said countries in the partnership, including Nigeria, were also being supported by donors.

He said the funding agreement was ready as partner countries were awaiting the disbursements.

Appolinaire-Ki, however, said the donor agencies had said they needed a Power Purchase Agreement between the buying and the selling countries to be executed before releasing the fund.