By Tgnews
The Committee of Ministers (CoM) of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) – met in Accra, Ghana on Tuesday, 29th April 2025. The CoM was convened to discuss matters arising from its previous meeting held on 2nd April, 2024, in Lome- Togo on operational, commercial and business development of the WAGP as well as institutional matters relating to the West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA). Other matters considered are Gas supply issues as well as payments for delivered gas not off takers.
Hosted by the Minister for Energy and Green Transition for Ghana, Honourable John Abdullai JINAPOR, the meeting was attended by all the members of Committee of Ministers in the four WAGP States; they include- Hon. Kingnidé Paulin AKPONNA, the Minister of Energy, Water and Mines of Benin, Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe EKPO, Hon. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Nigeria and Hon. Mawusi KAKATSI, Minister Delegate for Mines and Energy Resources, Togo who represented Hon. Robert Kossi EKLO, Minister for Mines and Energy Resources of Togo and the Chairman, Committee of Ministers.
In his remarks, the host minister recalled the role of the WAGP in the economic development of the region and the importance of collaboration by the WAGP stakeholders to ensure the energy needs of the region is met to drive industrial growth and enhance regional economic integration. He commended Nigeria for its efforts in enhancing gas supply to the WAGP and assured of Ghana’s support and collaboration for the development of naturel gas for the betterment of the region and Africa as a whole.
On his part the Chairman of the CoM gave the background of the WAGP which emanated from the ECOWAS Energy Policy adopted in 1982 and recently revised in 2023. He cited the strategic objectives number two (2) of the policy which provides for strengthening the security, reliability and the quality of the energy supply through a regional electricity band gas market development as well as the availability of quality petroleum products throughout the member states. He added that the WAGP appears to be the key infrastructure for sub regional economic development and integration designed to supply natural gas to electricity producers and industrial users of the ECOWAS States. This is unique in its kind over the African continent, this infrastructure is a real pride for us and therefore we need to ensure sustainability and increase its performance to meet many expectations from it. He commended the various reforms undertaken so far to enhance the performance of the WAGP and the key stakeholders particularly WAGPA, WAPCo, the Shippers and the States for their roles in achieving the reforms.
The Director General of WAGPA, Mrs Chafari K. Hanawa in her speech highlighted achievements of the WAGP since commencement of commercial operations in 2011. This she said include the creation of a reginal market for export of Nigeria’s gas which has helped the buyer countries to make significant cost savings over alternative fuels; the building of highly skilled personnel by WAPCo who are managing the infrastructure (WAGP) and the successive tariff reviews by WAGPA and WAPCo which has culminated in the current Tariff Period Four (TP4) that saw a reduction of tariffs by 10% for gas transported from Nigeria, and by 12% for gas transported from Ghana. She also mentioned the monitoring and inspection that recently ended with the pipeline pigging exercise, which ensured that the exercise was well conducted by WAPCo in a safe, efficient and timely manner.
On her part, the MD of WAPCo, Mrs Mitchell Burket spoke on the need to have sufficient gas supply on the WAGP and she assured of WAPCo’s readiness to effectively and efficiently function provided gas supplies are met.
At the end of the meeting the chairmanship of CoM moved from Togo to Nigeria.
Incoming Chairman (Nigeria’s Minister) and outgoing Chairman (Togo Minister) in Accra, Ghana, 29 April 2025
Courtesy visit on the President of Ghana by the Committee of Ministers
Before the CoM meeting, the Ministers paid a courtesy visit on the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama at his residence. The courtesy visit was led by Hon. John Abdullahi Jinapor, Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Ghana, who highlighted the significance of the WAGP Project to the four countries and the potential for extending the pipeline to other countries, starting with Cote d’Ivoire.
Remarks by Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo
President of the Republic of Ghana and Nigerian Minister of State
for Petroleum Resources (Gas)
The Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who spoke on behalf of the other Ministers, expressed the best wishes of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Ghanaian President. He then thanked H.E the President for granting audience to the CoM and for the hospitable reception accorded them by the Government and people of Ghana. He also thanked Ghana’s Hon. Minister for hosting the Ministers and other participants to a dinner at his residence the night before.
On the importance of the WAGP to the four countries, Hon. Ekperikpe said the WAGP is providing the source of fuel for electricity generation in all the three (3) buyer countries. He reiterated the commitment of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to supply natural gas to the countries of the sub-region. He added that H.E. President Tinubu believes strongly that natural gas has a key role to play in the energy mix of the world for the foreseeable future. He added that President Tinubu wants to position Nigeria to be a reliable supplier of natural gas to the West African region first, and then to the world. He intimated that the appointment of himself as the Minister in charge of gas, by the President was testament to the President’s commitment to the development of Nigerian natural gas sector and exporting the gas to the rest of the world.
Hon. Ekperikpe also used the opportunity to update H.E. President Mahama on the ongoing efforts by the four WAGP Countries to amend the WAGP Act, which is the uniform law in the four WAGP State, in their respective parliaments. He said Ghana was yet to finalise the amendment and requested the intervention of H.E. President Mahama to achieve completion of the process in Ghana.
Remarks by the President
The President of Ghana in his response thanked the Ministers for their visit, reiterating his commitment to the WAGP project, he quipped that Hon. Ekperikpe was preaching to the converted.
He said that though his government is working hard to increase gas production, the country would still need to import more gas to supplement domestic production. The President was happy to note that the Minister for Energy had reached an agreement with N-Gas to increase supply of gas to Ghana.
Regarding the ongoing efforts to amend the WAGP Act, the President assured the WAGP Ministers of his support and commitment.
The honourable Ministers thanked the President for making time to meet with the WAGP Ministers and assured him of the CoM’s commitment to resolve all changes with the Project to ensure it serves the purpose for which it was established.
