WAPP Chairmanship: Re-elected Abdulaziz Calls for Compliance, Stronger Frameworks to Advance Regional Electricity Market
The Chairman of the Executive Board of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, has been unanimously re-elected for another three-year tenure, with a call on member utilities to strengthen financial compliance, institutional frameworks and collective responsibility to advance regional electricity integration.
Abdulaziz’s re-election took place during the 68th Meeting of the WAPP Executive Board held in Lomé, Togo, on October 8 and 9, 2026.
Speaking after his re-election, the chairman thanked members of the Board for their confidence and pledged to continue working with them to advance the organisation’s objectives and strengthen the regional electricity market.
He stressed that Executive Board meetings must produce decisions capable of enhancing WAPP’s capacity to respond effectively to the energy needs of the West African sub-region.
Abdulaziz recalled that the 67th Board meeting approved principles for the progressive establishment of an Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO), while maintaining operational continuity through the transitional role of the WAPP Information and Coordination Centre (ICC).
He said the priority was to ensure the implementation of those decisions within a sound legal, institutional and financial framework that safeguards the interests of WAPP and its member utilities.
The chairman also underscored the importance of statutory contributions to the organisation’s financial independence and operational effectiveness, urging member utilities to fulfil their financial obligations.
“Statutory contributions are not a formality; they are the basis of WAPP’s autonomy and capacity to act,” he said.
He acknowledged the Secretariat’s ongoing cost-reduction efforts but cautioned against measures that could weaken the organisation’s critical functions.
On the technical front, Abdulaziz identified network synchronisation and the launch of the regional electricity market as key priorities requiring sustained coordination and preparedness among participating countries and stakeholders.
He described network synchronisation as a major technical achievement that must be supported by coordinated system operations, appropriate security arrangements and adequate market readiness.
According to him, the regional electricity market can only achieve its objectives if it operates on clearly defined rules, reliable data, credible financial mechanisms and independent, effective governance.
Earlier, the Secretary General of WAPP and Secretary of the Executive Board, Mr. Abdoulaye Dia, said the organisation had continued implementing guidelines on institutional strengthening and the progressive operationalisation of the ISMO since the 67th meeting.
Dia explained that the process includes functional and accounting unbundling, alongside an orderly transition that enables the ICC to maintain operational continuity during Phase Two of the Regional Electricity Market.
He noted that the progress recorded by WAPP and its growing institutional visibility had attracted new partnerships, reaffirming the Secretariat’s commitment to developing an integrated, reliable and competitive regional electricity system ahead of the planned launch of the market’s second phase early next year.
The Secretary General also emphasised the need for member utilities to settle outstanding contributions, particularly as the Board reviewed the status of membership payments and the Pool’s 2025 financial statements.
He maintained that regular funding, rigorous financial management and collective discipline were essential to sustaining WAPP’s credibility and improving service delivery.
The meeting further considered a restructuring study on the operationalisation of the ISMO, a move aimed at aligning the organisation with best practices and mitigating political interference as the regional electricity market evolves.
Among other decisions, the Board adopted 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 also welcomed new representatives of member utilities to the Board, including Mr. Lawrent Tossou, Managing Director of Société Béninoise d’Énergie Électrique (SBEE), representing the Republic of Benin; Mr. Amidou Traore, Director General of CI-ENERGIES; and Mr. Julien Sagna, representing Société de Gestion de l’Énergie de Manantali (SOGEM).
In another development, the Board reviewed membership applications from four utilities seeking to join the regional power pool.
The applicants are Konexa of Nigeria; SOGESART, the Société de Gestion de l’Énergie de Sambangalou et du Réseau de Transport d’Électricité, from Senegal; SOGEOH, the Société de Gestion de l’Énergie des Ouvrages du Haut Bassin du Fleuve Sénégal; and HOLDEN – Niger SARL, an independent power producer from Niger.
The applications are expected to be ratified at the WAPP General Assembly scheduled to hold before the end of the year.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), in a statement issued by its management on October 11, 2026, disclosed the outcome of the meeting.
