The Nigerian government has announced that it will sell electrical power to four West African countries through its generation businesses.
The countries include Togo, Burkina Faso, Republic of Benin, and Niger Republic, according to Sule Abdulaziz, interim managing director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and chairman, executive board of the West African Power Pool (WAPP).
“The power we will be selling is the power that is not needed in Nigeria. These generators that are going to supply power to this transmission line are going to generate that power specifically for this project. So, it is an unutilised power,” he said.
Nigeria, which has a poor electricity per population ratio and is severely underserved, has ironically been selling electricity to Benin Republic, Togo, and Niger for years.
Mr Abdulaziz stated that the agreement will benefit Nigeria in terms of income and job generation.
“So from that, the revenue is going to be enhanced and a lot of people will be employed in Nigeria,” he said.
According to Mr Abdulaziz, the four countries are anticipated to acquire power through the $570 million North Core Power Transmission Line, which is now under construction.
The World Bank, the French Development Council, and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are funding the North Core project, which is projected to be finished in two years.
According to Mr Abdulaziz, the four countries are anticipated to acquire power through the $570 million North Core Power Transmission Line, which is now under construction.
The World Bank, the French Development Council, and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are funding the North Core project, which is projected to be finished in two years.
“The country will be getting new generators to participate in the energy export for the 875 kilometre 330 kilovolts transmission line which would run from Nigeria through the four countries,” Mr Abdulaziz was quoted as saying.
He stated that electricity will be provided to 611 towns along the power line route.
The secretary-general of the West African Power Pool, Siengui Appolinaire Ki, noted that each country’s investment is sponsored by the government and backed by donors, while Nigeria funds its own.
He explained that while the funding agreement was ready and participating countries were waiting for the money, donor organizations wanted a power purchase agreement signed between the buying and selling countries before the money was released.
Educator, writer and legal researcher at Alafarika for Studies and Consultancy.