West African Gas Pipeline Authority Eyes Major Expansion to Anchor Regional Energy Market
The West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) is positioning itself for a significant expansion beyond its current four-nation configuration, potentially transforming the US$1 billion infrastructure into the cornerstone of a broader regional gas market.
At the 2025 West Africa Gas Summit in Accra, WAGPA Director-General Chafari Kanya Hanawa revealed ambitious plans to extend the 678-kilometre pipeline that currently connects Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Ghana. The pipeline, which serves as sub-Saharan Africa’s first cross-border natural gas transmission system, supplies up to 5 billion cubic metres of Nigerian gas annually.
Hanawa emphasized that the West African Gas Pipeline is evolving from mere infrastructure into a strategic asset for regional energy integration. While specific expansion destinations remain undisclosed, she hinted at potential connections to landlocked countries and new coastal markets, describing the current framework as a “launchpad” for broader interconnection.
The expansion initiative aligns with African economies’ growing interest in intra-continental energy integration under frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. WAGPA has signed a three-year strategic partnership with The Gas Consortium to support the annual summit and promote public-private engagement in unlocking West Africa’s gas potential.
Source: thebftonline.com
