Background
The West Africa Gas Pipeline entered commercial operation in 2008 following the WAGP Treaty signed by Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, and Togo. It remains the only operational cross-border gas pipeline in sub-Saharan Africa and the primary reference point for continental pipeline policy design.
Treaty Performance Assessment
Average capacity utilisation over the review period (2010-2025) reached 61%, significantly below the 90% bankability threshold. Ghana off-take shortfalls account for 72% of the utilisation gap, driven by domestic gas price subsidies reducing demand for pipeline imports.
Regulatory Architecture Review
The WAGP Authority has functioned primarily as a dispute resolution mechanism rather than a proactive regulatory institution. This structural gap, the absence of an independent regional pipeline regulator, is the single most important governance lesson for NMGP framework design.
Recommendations for NMGP Governance
APRN recommends the establishment of an African Pipeline Regulatory Commission (APRC) modelled on the European Network of Transmission System Operators (ENTSO-G), with binding authority over tariff methodology, capacity allocation, and technical standards across all ECOWAS pipeline corridors.
Author