What are West Africans doing to improve their power systems?

West Africans are now moving in many directions to enhance their power systems. This report ofers an overview of the challenges and the great profusion of activity across the region. It should inform conversation at Nigeria Energy in Lagos (19-21 September) and at the Africa Energy Expo in Rwanda next year.

What is the West Africa Energy Program?

The West Africa Energy Program run by US AID’s Power Africa division includes support for five solar projects which will provide about 150MW of electricity, including the Kodeni and Nagréongo solar plants in Burkina Faso and a 250MW solar / hydropower hybrid plant in Ghana.

Where in West Africa is the biggest power generation project?

There are significant power generation projects planned or underway in most parts of West Africa, with regional economic heavyweight Nigeria the most active market and also home to the biggest scheme: the 3GW Mambilla hydroelectric plant.

What is the main source of power in West Africa?

Hydroelectric power is the dominant source of power in the region and is the focus of most of the large schemes underway, although there are also plans to develop more gas-fired plants and some initiatives to develop coal-fired capacity. West African countries have now begun to develop utility-scale solar power.

What are some cross-border transmission projects in Africa?

The African Union’s Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) has also supported a number of cross-border transmission projects, including the 330kV Nigeria-Niger-Benin-Togo-Burkina interconnector and the 330kV Ghana-Togo-Benin transmission project. Within individual countries, distribution losses are often a major problem.