West African Power Pool

The West African Power Pool (WAPP) is a specialised agency of the Economic Community of West African States set up to coordinate the development and integration of electricity infrastructure across the region. Its mandate is to establish a reliable and stable regional electricity market that gives member states access to affordable energy through interconnected national grids. The pool covers West African countries from Nigeria to Senegal and includes utilities and transmission companies operating across the subregion. It is governed by a secretariat and a coordination council drawn from member utilities, working alongside national energy ministries. Key functions include planning cross-border transmission lines, facilitating electricity wheeling between countries, and harmonising technical and regulatory standards for grid interconnection. The pool works with development partners, including the World Bank, to finance interconnection projects and strengthen energy security. It features alongside similar bodies such as the Southern African Power Pool and the Eastern Africa Power Pool in continental discussions on regional energy integration, often raised at forums like the Africa Energy Indaba. These regional pools are central to Africa's energy transition agenda, supporting greater uptake of renewable energy and independent power producers. The West African Power Pool was established in the early 2000s as part of broader regional economic integration efforts. It continues to expand its interconnected network to reduce reliance on isolated national grids.