Regional Electricity Market: WAPP, MCA Côte d’Ivoire Regional and MCC Prepare a Grant Agreement

Abomey-Calavi, 23 September 2026 – The West African Power Pool (WAPP) hosted, from 21 to 23 September 2026, a joint mission from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and MCA Côte d’Ivoire Regional. The meeting aimed to advance preparations for a grant agreement to support the development of the West African Regional Electricity Market. The U.S. Government intends to provide a grant to WAPP under the Côte d’Ivoire Compact.

Over the course of three days, teams from the three institutions worked on the various components of the agreement. WAPP notably presented its Regional Infrastructure Master Plan, which comprises 75 priority generation and transmission projects representing more than US$36 billion in investments, as well as an update on the progress made in developing the Regional Electricity Market.

The discussions resulted in an agreement in principle on a grant arrangement, with an initial phase amounting to US$1.5 million. This funding will support priority activities related to the development of the Regional Electricity Market, as well as the institutional transition towards an independent system and market operator. The three institutions also agreed to establish a joint monitoring mechanism to support the implementation of the next steps. A larger grant is expected to be provided subsequently to support technical activities and capacity building.

The meeting concluded with the signing of the minutes of the discussions by Mr. Abdoulaye DIA, Secretary General of WAPP; Mr. Arden KOUADIO, Director General of MCA Côte d’Ivoire Regional; and Ms. Sonia SHAHRIGIAN, MCC Representative in Côte d’Ivoire.
This partnership marks a new step in ongoing efforts to strengthen the integration of West Africa’s power sector and support the progressive implementation of the Regional Electricity Market. In particular, it will contribute to preparations for the launch of electricity trading under the regional market, with real-time operational testing scheduled to begin in January 2027.