Tunde Bakare
Bridging electricity supply gap in West Africa requires strong governance structure according to the Chairman of the Executive Board of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), Engr. (Dr.) Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz.
Abdulaziz, has therefore sought for decisive action to strengthen the institution’s governance and accelerate the development of a reliable regional electricity market, describing ongoing restructuring efforts as a “strategic necessity” for the future of power integration in West Africa.
The Chairman was quoted as saying this in a statement issued by Ndidi Mbah, General Manager, Public Affairs of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
Abdulaziz made the call while speaking at the 67th meeting of the WAPP Executive Board held in Lomé, Togo on May 4, 2026.
The WAPP boss emphasized that as cross-border electricity exchanges expand, WAPP must reorganise its structures, increase transparency, and improve efficiency to meet growing demand and expectations across member states.
He noted that the meeting comes at a critical time for the regional power sector, with increasing pressure to deliver a more integrated, competitive, and sustainable electricity system.
However, strengthening interconnections, advancing the Regional Electricity Market, and maintaining effective governance arrangements, he said, remain central to WAPP’s mandate.
A key focus of the meeting was the review of a restructuring study and its recommendations, which the Chairman described as essential to improving WAPP’s institutional effectiveness.
He urged board members to assess the proposals critically, identify immediate priorities, and ensure that reforms are implemented in a practical, results-driven manner.
Abdulaziz outlined three guiding principles for the reform process, including continuity of WAPP’s mandate, strong governance discipline, and realistic implementation supported by adequate resources and measurable outcomes these he said would ensure that reforms translates to progress.