Power minister visits Niger , to witness flag-off of ECOWAS power integration

Solomon Ezeme

The Minister of Power Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, on Wednesday, has visited Niger Republic to witness the flag-off of the ECOWAS power integration project nicknamed ‘the North Core’ which will connect power line from Nigeria-Niger-Benin-Togo to Burkina Faso.

The project will see an 875-kilometre line electrify hundreds of rural communities in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, Niger and Benin as it will link the power grids of the countries.

The Minister, prior to the flag-off ceremony, met with the President of Niger Republic Mohamed Bazoum, the country’s Minister of Defence, Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) and its Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Mahamane Sani Mahamadou, on a courtesy visit at the Presidential Palace, Niamey on Wednesday.

According to the Chairman, Executive Board of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and Acting Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Sule Abdulaziz, the North Core Project is valued at an estimated $586 million.