The African Development Bank (AfDB) and West Africa Power Pool (WAPP), a specialised institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), have signed a grant agreement worth $1.99million to support the Nigeria-Benin Interconnector Reinforcement Project (IRP).
The grant will help the construction of a 330 kV double circuit high voltage transmission line from Erukan (Nigeria) to Sakete (Benin) and help meet the needs of the ECOWAS region in reliable electricity supply at affordable cost.
The project, which would be executed in Nigeria and Benin shall result in the following, among others: construction of approximately 200 km of 330 kV high voltage transmission line; extension of/or the construction of a new 330 kV high voltage substation in Erukan (Nigeria); extension of/or the construction of a new 330 kV high voltage substation in Sakete (Benin) or environ; and installation of SCADA and Fibre Optic systems.
The Project, a WAPP key priority, will ensure stable integration of the national electricity networks in the ECOWAS Region and facilitate the accessibility to economic energy resources, to all member states of the region.
Speaking at the signing event, AfDB Acting Vice-President Stefan Nalletamby said: “Energy is one of the most essential requirements for Africa’s development and a key pillar of the Bank’s High 5s vision. The project will allow inclusive economic growth needed to transform the lives and livelihoods of many in the West African region.”
The realisation of the 330 kV WAPP Nigeria–Benin Project will facilitate optimal power exchanges and trading between the Member States. It seeks to establish a robust transmission link from Côte d’Ivoire to Nigeria passing through Prestea, Aboadze, Volta in Ghana, Lomé in Togo, and Sakete in Benin.
AfDB Acting Vice-President, Operations, in charge of Infrastructure, Private Sector and Regional Integration, Stefan Nalletamby, signed for the Bank Group, while Secretary General, Siengui A. Ki signed for WAPP, in the sidelines of the AfDB Annual Meetings in Lusaka.
“The project will definitely advance WAPP’s goal to establish more secure, reliable transmission corridors for power exchange and help catalyse the development of energy resources, and the transfer of low-cost energy supply,” WAPP Secretary General said.
“The increased volumes of power derived from the project, will boost the region’s economies and contribute to poverty reduction efforts,” he added.
NEPAD Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility, NEPAD-IPPF, carried out the Feasibility Study for the Nigeria-Benin Interconnector Reinforcement Project.
NEPAD-IPPF is a multi-donor Special Fund hosted by the AfDB, which supports African countries to prepare regional infrastructure projects in energy, transport, ICT and trans-boundary water.
It is currently supported by a number of donors that include, Canada, Germany, UK, Spain, Norway and Denmark. Over its ten year existence since 2005, NEPAD-IPPF has prepared over 60 regional infrastructure projects, half of which have reached financial closure, resulting in investment financing of over $6 billion, thus, responding directly to Africa’s integration and development efforts.
