The Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Abdulaziz, has been re-elected as executive chairman of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) board for another three years. 

The ​‌⁠​‍‍⁠⁠‍​‌⁠⁠​‍‌⁠‌​TCN management made this known in a statement in Abuja.

The statement said that Mr Abdulaziz was re- elected during the 68th Meeting of the WAPP Executive Board held between October 8 and 9, in Lome, Togo.

The statement said Mr Abdulaziz, in his acceptance speech, urged members of WAPP to ensure compliance, and strong frameworks.

Mr Abdulaziz thanked members of the  board for the confidence reposed in him and promised to continue working with the team to advance WAPP’s cause.

He called on members to strengthen their collective responsibility in building a more viable regional electricity market, noting that board meetings were moments for decisions that must enhance WAPP’s capacity to respond to the energy needs of the region.

The chairman recalled that the 67th meeting approved principles for the progressive establishment of the Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO), while preserving operational continuity through the transitional role of the WAPP Information and Coordination Centre (ICC).

According to him, the task before the board is to ensure those decisions are implemented within a sound legal, institutional, and financial framework that protects the interest of WAPP and its members.

He stressed that statutory contributions remained the foundation of WAPP’s autonomy and ability to act.

“Statutory contributions are not a formality; they are the basis of WAPP’s autonomy and capacity to act,” he said.

He urged member utilities to honour their financial obligations while the secretariat continued to pursue cost-reduction efforts without weakening its critical functions.

Mr Abdulaziz also highlighted two key technical issues in WAPP to include network synchronisation and the inaguration of the regional electricity market.

He described synchronisation as a major technical achievement that must be supported by coordinated system operation, appropriate security arrangements, and market readiness of participants and stakeholders.

According to him, the regional market will only fulfil its promise if it rests on clearly understood rules, reliable data, credible financial mechanisms, and independent, effective governance.

WAPP’s Secretary General, Abdoulaye Dia, noted that since the 67th session, WAPP had continued to implement guidelines on institutional strengthening and the progressive operationalisation of the ISMO.

Mr Dia, who is also the secretary of the Executive Board, said that WAPP had continued to implement the guidelines with functional and accounting unbundling and an orderly transition allowing the ICC to ensure continuity during Phase 2 of the regional electricity market.

He said  that the progress made and increased visibility of the institution had earned it new partnerships, and reaffirmed the secretariat’s commitment to building an integrated, reliable, and competitive regional electricity system ahead of the Inauguration of the second phase of the market early 2027.

While discussing the status of member contributions and the pool’s 2025 financial statements, he stressed the need for member utilities to settle their outstanding contributions.

He noted that regular funding, rigorous management and collective discipline were critical to WAPP’s credibility and service delivery.

The board also discussed the restructuring study on the operationalisation of the ISMO, which is in line with best practice and necessary to mitigate political interference as the WAPP market continued to evolve.

The board equally adopted among others, the Charter of the Forum for Women in Energy in West Africa and a Memorandum of Understanding with the Millennium Challenge Account Côte d’Ivoire.

The meeting  welcomed new representatives of member utilities of the board, including the new Managing Director of Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique, Lawrent Tossou, who now represents the Republic of Benin.

The meeting also welcomed Amidou Traore, the new Director General of CI-ENERGIES and Julien Sagna, who  represents Société de Gestion de l’Énergie de Manantali (SOGEM).

The board reviewed membership applications from four utilities in the sub-region that have expressed the desire to become members of the Pool.

Those whose membership were reviewed included, Konexa from Nigeria; SOGESART – Société de Gestion de l’Énergie de Sambangalou et du Réseau de Transport d’Électricité from Senegal; and SOGEOH – Société de Gestion de l’Énergie des Ouvrages du Haut Bassin du Fleuve Sénégal.

Others were  HOLDEN – Niger SARL, an Independent Power Producer from the Republic of Niger adding, that the four utilities would be ratified at the WAPP General Assembly to be held before the end of 2026

(NAN)