The World Bank has said its regional power integration and electricity access programme is strengthening electricity supply across West Africa, expanding cross-border power trade, improving utility finances and increasing access to electricity for millions of people.

In a results brief released recently, the bank said the West Africa Regional Power Integration and Electricity Access Programme is delivering more affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity across the sub-region, with impacts on jobs, gender inclusion and climate outcomes.

According to the report, more than 4,000 kilometres of high-voltage transmission lines have been constructed to connect the electricity grids of 15 West African countries under the West African Power Pool, enabling cross-border electricity trading.

The West African Power Pool covers 15 countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

According to the brief, about eight per cent of regional electricity is now traded, moving closer to the European Commission benchmark of 10 to 12 per cent. It said the development has helped reduce costs and improve reliability of supply across member states.

The bank also disclosed that more than three million people across Burkina Faso, Guinea, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and The Gambia gained access to electricity between 2019 and 2025, following transmission and distribution upgrades supported under the programme.

It added that the reforms have strengthened the financial positions of utilities in some countries, noting that Guinea-Bissau’s utility moved from a monthly deficit of about $1m to a positive balance, while The Gambia’s NAWEC returned to profitability with about 42 per cent in cost savings.

The report further highlighted progress towards a regional electricity market, saying the WAPP and the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority are synchronising interconnected grids and expanding trade. It noted that a new day-ahead market is being introduced to allow utilities to purchase electricity a day in advance at lower cost and reduce outages.

“The West Africa Regional Power Integration and Electricity Access Programme is delivering more affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity, helping create jobs, empowering women, and reducing climate impacts,” the Bank stated.

Providing background on the sector, the World Bank said West Africa’s electricity challenges had previously been characterised by low access, unreliable supply, ageing generation assets and weak utility finances, with over half of the population lacking access to power.

It explained that the programme adopts a regional approach involving partners such as the African Development Bank, European Investment Bank, West African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Agence Française de Développement to finance major interconnection projects.

These include the Ivory Coast–Liberia–Sierra Leone–Guinea transmission line, the Guinea–Guinea-Bissau–The Gambia–Senegal loop, and the Senegal–Mali interconnector, which have helped unify national grids and support electricity exchange across borders.

The World Bank also noted that “innovative shield-wire technology on these lines enabled electrification of nearby communities”, while supporting last-mile connections through regional access and battery energy storage projects.

A High Commissioner of the Organisation for the Development of the Gambia River Basin, Demba Jallow, was quoted as saying, “A true pillar of sub-regional and regional integration and cooperation, the Gambia–Senegal interconnection pools the resources of four countries and three river basins to provide continuous, secure, and affordable electricity supply for all. It strengthens the financial viability of national electricity companies and supports the socio-economic development of communities, thus ensuring a sustainable, shared energy future.”

The World Bank said the programme has also created more than 52,000 direct and indirect jobs through construction and operations of transmission networks across engineering, logistics, project management and maintenance.

It added that lessons from the initiative show that regional integration is helping reduce generation costs and improve utility performance, with several countries recording significant savings through electricity imports from hydropower sources.

Looking ahead, the bank said the next phase of the programme will focus on expanding cross-border trade, completing grid synchronisation and launching the Day-Ahead Market to deepen electricity exchange across the sub-region.

It added that additional financing mechanisms, including a liquidity enhancement revolving fund, will be introduced to improve payment reliability among utilities and support further reforms aimed at achieving universal electricity access across West Africa.