West African Power Market to Advance at Conakry Talks
Power-dependent businesses across West Africa should track whether the 60-utility pool sets firm timelines for cross-border trade and transmission.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Utilities
The West African Power Pool, which has 60 member utilities, holds its 21st General Assembly in Conakry, Guinea, on 6 and 7 November 2026. A coordination meeting of technical and financial partners follows on 5 November 2026, and the assembly focuses on cross-border electricity trading and priority transmission interconnection projects.
Why it matters
Utilities and energy-intensive businesses across the region depend on whether cross-border trade and transmission links can ease supply gaps. Progress on a regional market could change how generation capacity is shared and priced, which matters for operators planning power access and costs.
The West African Power Pool counts 60 member utilities, and this is its 21st General Assembly. The source gives no comparative figures on regional trade volumes or project completion rates, so the scale of progress cannot yet be measured.
The players
West African Power Pool (WAPP)
A regional body of 60 national electricity utilities that coordinates cross-border power trading and transmission interconnection across West Africa.
Électricité de Guinée
Guinea's national electricity utility, which co-organizes the assembly and hosts it in Conakry.
The details
The assembly brings together managing directors and chief executives of member utilities to assess progress on regional electricity integration and set priorities. Participants will examine the Côte d'Ivoire-Liberia-Sierra Leone-Guinea transmission interconnection, in which Guinea participates. Regional electricity trade can add supply options and make better use of existing generation capacity, while differences in national capacity, infrastructure limits and financing gaps affect reliability and affordability.
Timeline
5 November 2026: Coordination meeting of WAPP technical and financial partners in Conakry, Guinea.
6 and 7 November 2026: 21st WAPP General Assembly in Conakry, Guinea.
Market Landscape
The assembly sits within the West African Power Pool's long-running effort to link national grids and create a shared regional market. Its stated theme, consolidating the regional electricity market, signals a shift from individual interconnection projects toward coordinated cross-border trading.
Operators in power-dependent sectors should track whether the assembly sets clear timelines and financing for the interconnection projects. Procurement and energy planning teams may want to watch for any announced changes to cross-border supply options.
The takeaway
The assembly's agenda points toward a more integrated West African power market, which could change how regional supply is shared. Operators should calendar the 6 and 7 November 2026 General Assembly and review any published interconnection timelines once they are released.
What happens next
A coordination meeting of WAPP technical and financial partners is scheduled for 5 November 2026, followed by the 21st General Assembly on 6 and 7 November 2026 in Conakry, Guinea.
Further reading
For background on how grid operators manage these shifts, see the Utilities section.
