The West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) has reaffirmed its commitment to extending its pipeline network beyond its four key stakeholders—Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria—to other countries within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
According to WAGPA’s Director-General, Chafari Kanya Hanawa, discussions with Ivory Coast are progressing well, with plans to assess the project’s viability before moving forward.
“We are hoping to extend to the next ECOWAS countries. For instance, we have been able to meet with the Minister of Energy in Cote D’Ivoire, and what we just did was to do a presentation to him and to tell him about the extent of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP). If you are advocating extension, you must also tell them how it will benefit them. So these are the things we always put on the table,” she explained.
This announcement follows the resumption of gas supply to Ghana after a one-month suspension for maintenance. The West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), responsible for managing the pipeline, recently completed critical maintenance activities, including offshore pipeline cleaning and inspection, subsea valve replacements, and other essential works across multiple locations in Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria.
WAPCo noted that the four-week-long project required a temporary shutdown of pipeline laterals supplying gas to Cotonou (Benin), Lomé (Togo), and Tema (Ghana). However, the project was completed ahead of schedule, with remarkable efficiency and safety.
With gas supply restored and expansion plans underway, WAGPA remains focused on enhancing energy security and regional integration within ECOWAS