WAGPA eyes pipeline expansion in bid to anchor regional gas market

By Joshua Worlasi AMLANU

The West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA) has signalled a potential expansion of the US$1billion infrastructure beyond its current four-nation configuration.

This is expected position the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) as the lynchpin of a broader regional gas market,

At the 2025 West Africa Gas Summit (WAGS) in Accra, WAGPA Director-General Chafari Kanya Hanawa said the 678-kilometre pipeline currently linking Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana is no longer just a conduit for natural gas, but also the backbone of a regionally integrated energy economy.

“We see the WAGP not just as infrastructure but also a strategic asset in our transition toward a gas-powered regional economy,” Ms. Hanawa said. However, she noted that a backbone alone is not enough.

In her address, Ms. Hanawa hinted at plans to extend the pipeline to landlocked countries and new coastal markets, describing the current regional framework as a “launchpad” for broader interconnection.

While no specific countries were named, she emphasised that deeper regional cooperation and alignment of national strategies with regional ambitions would be critical to that future.

Constructed under a 2003 treaty, the WAGP is sub-Saharan Africa’s first cross-border natural gas transmission system – supplying up to 5 billion cubic metres of Nigerian gas annually to downstream markets. Its capacity supports as much as 3,000 megawatts of power generation, helping recipient countries displace costlier and dirtier fuels.

WAGPA’s shift toward expansion comes as African economies explore intra-continental energy integration under frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.

The pipeline’s operation is managed by the West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo), a joint venture involving Chevron, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Shell and others. WAGPA serves as the intergovernmental regulator representing the four member-states’ interests.

While expansion details remain scant, Ms. Hanawa confirmed that WAGPA has signed a three-year strategic partnership with The Gas Consortium to support the annual summit and promote public-private engagement.

“This is not just a sponsorship,” she said. “It is a commitment to building a lasting platform for unlocking West Africa’s gas potential.”

The summit’s agenda also focused on how gas infrastructure can catalyse industrial development, with Hanawa emphasising the need for agile regulatory reforms to attract investment. “The goal is not just compliance. The goal is to attract capital, drive down costs and create certainty for investors and end-users – especially in the industrial sector,” she said.

She urged stakeholders to think beyond existing geographies and consider how natural gas can reach inland nations and new sectors through infrastructure investments and knowledge-sharing.

 “Regionalisation of gas is not a one-off achievement. It’s a process that requires bold thinking and inclusive models,” she said.

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