Eighth Meeting of Joint Supervisory Committee of the NorthCore Project: A Step Forward towards Regional Energy Integration

On February 21, 2025, the Nigerian capital, Abuja, hosted the eighth meeting of the Joint Supervisory Committee (JSC#8) for the North Core 330 kV Electrical Interconnection Project—a flagship initiative involving Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo. The event brought together the Managing Directors of the participating electricity companies, along with representatives from the Ministries of Energy and Finance of the concerned countries.

The opening session was marked by an address from Mr. Abdoulaye Dia, Secretary General of the West African Power Pool (WAPP). In his speech, he underscored the critical importance of the gathering in reviewing the project's progress, evaluating achievements since the 7th Joint Supervisory Committee (JSC#7), and identifying solutions to ongoing challenges. Mr. Dia expressed his gratitude to His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the warm welcome and the facilities provided. He also praised the commitment of the technical and financial partners, as well as the Governments of the involved countries, which have enabled the Project to achieve an overall completion rate of 65%, despite a challenging socio-political and security context.

The North Core Project aims to establish an electrical interconnection between Nigeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Benin, thereby facilitating energy trading and complementing other regional interconnection transmission lines for the regional electricity market. The year 2024 was marked by disruptions stemming from political and security instability in certain countries, which slowed project progress. Nevertheless, significant advancements were made, particularly in the construction of transmission lines and substations.

During the meeting, the Project Management Unit (PMU) presented a detailed report on the implementation status of the recommendations from the previous meeting (JSC#7) and the overall project progress by the end of 2024. The report also highlighted two joint supervisory missions conducted by the technical and financial partners over the past year.

The North Core Project extends beyond energy infrastructure, generating positive socio-economic impacts for local communities. To date, over 1,040 jobs have been created across the four participating countries, with particular attention given to the inclusion of women. Concurrently, continuous efforts are being made to ensure adherence to environmental and social standards. However, security challenges remain a major concern, causing recurrent work interruptions and prompting some companies to consider temporary demobilization. To address this, the establishment of National Security Coordination Committee (NSCC) was discussed, emphasizing the need to finance and strengthen these structures to safeguard both workers and infrastructure.

A key highlight of the meeting was the review and adoption of the 2025 Annual Work Plan and Budget. This year is regarded as pivotal for the project, with ambitious goals set to accelerate the completion of works and the commissioning of the infrastructure. The audited financial statements for 2023 were also presented.

In concluding the meeting, the Secretary General chairperson stressed the need to reinforce cooperation among stakeholders to overcome remaining obstacles and achieve the project's objectives. He reaffirmed the commitment of WAPP and its member countries to making electrical interconnection a reality, thereby contributing to the region's economic and social development.

The next meeting of the Joint Supervisory Committee (JSC) and the Joint Ministerial Steering Committee (JMSC) has already been scheduled, reflecting the sustained commitment to achieving the ultimate goal: a stable, reliable, and accessible regional electricity market for all.