One of the specialised institutions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Power Pool (WAPP) interconnects and integrates the national power grids of member states to create a single unified electricity market with a view to providing a resilient and dependable supply of power to people and business.
West Africa is a hotbed of economic activity. The countries of the region are determined to unlock their potential and have set in motion a number of initiatives aimed at increasing cross border cooperation and exploring synergies. WAPP is one of those initiatives. Recognising that accelerated economic growth requires a reliable and abundant supply of cheap electrical power, WAPP was created in 1999 by the ECOWAS Heads of States and seven years later, established as a specialised institution of ECOWAS.
Based in Cotonou, Benin, the WAPP helps the fourteen mainland member states of ECOWAS with the development of regional power generation and distribution. The entity also has been assigned a key role in promoting and facilitating the interconnection of member states’ domestic electricity grids.
WAPP is currently working on a large-scale of network interconnection projects, power generation projects and the construction of the Information and Coordination Center. These works will allow by 2020, the completion of the interconnection of all the ECOWAS mainland countries and the commencement of the competitive electricity trade. The WAPP also acts as an intermediary with multilateral and supranational organisations that provide funding for power projects in West Africa.
The CFI.co judging panel congratulates the promotors of this initiative, amongst whom former Burkina Faso power utility (SONABEL) Director General, Siengui Apollinaire KI – now WAPP Secretary General. Mr KI tirelessly advocates for improved cross border cooperation pointing out that integration of the West African power market provides a welcome and a necessary boost to regional growth. The judges are pleased to offer WAPP the 2018 Outstanding Contribution to Power Integration in West Africa Award.
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