Several regions in Ghana and other West African countries, including the Republic of Benin and Togo, are currently experiencing significant power outages due to a prolonged disruption in gas supply from Nigeria.
The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCO) in Accra, Ghana, announced on Wednesday that it is facing a decrease in gas volumes available for transportation. This reduction is due to maintenance activities being carried out by one of its gas producers in Nigeria, which has resulted in the shutdown of the facility for a three-week maintenance period.
WAPCO continues to transport gas from the Western Region of Ghana to Tema, also in Ghana, and anticipates a return to normalcy once the maintenance is completed. However, the temporary halt in Nigerian gas supply has already led to power shortages in various cities across the affected countries.
In Ghana, both the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have alerted consumers about the situation. In a jointly signed statement, they explained that since June 12, 2024, the reduction in gas supply from Nigeria has caused interruptions in power supply in several areas.
“The West African Gas Pipeline Company has explained that the reduction in gas supply is due to maintenance works being undertaken by a gas supplier in Nigeria and is projected to last three weeks,” the statement read. “This has caused a reduction in overall power generation capacity in Ghana, potentially resulting in load management during the maintenance period.”
GRIDCo and ECG have apologized for the inconvenience and assured the public that they are working with other stakeholders in the power sector to manage available resources effectively, aiming to minimize the impact on consumers.
The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited owns and operates the West African Gas Pipeline, a crucial infrastructure that connects natural gas resources to customers across the West Africa sub-region, particularly in Ghana. The WAGP is a bi-directional pipeline system, supplying gas from both Nigeria in the east and Ghana in the west.
As maintenance continues, the affected regions are urged to stay informed and prepared for ongoing power challenges until the gas supply stabilizes.
