Energy Minister John Jinapor has underscored the urgent need for deeper regional integration in Africa’s energy sector, insisting that the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) hinges on the creation of a unified electricity market supported by cross-border infrastructure, harmonised regulations, and coordinated investments.
Speaking at the Ministers’ Roundtable during the 2025 West Africa Energy Cooperation Summit (WAECS) in Accra, Mr. Jinapor said Africa cannot fully realise its industrial and economic ambitions unless AfCFTA and the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) advance together.
“As host of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Ghana understands that reliable energy is the engine of a functioning single market,” he said. “A continental trade area cannot operate efficiently when power systems remain fragmented. A unified electricity market is what will fuel manufacturing, regional logistics, trade, and the digital economy.”
He emphasised that Ghana’s attractiveness as a stable investment destination depends on maintaining the rule of law, predictable regulation and constructive dispute resolution — conditions he described as essential for cross-border energy projects and investor confidence.
Mr. Jinapor highlighted a landmark milestone in regional power cooperation: the first full synchronisation of the West African power grid. The achievement follows a successful test by the West African Power Pool (WAPP) in November 2025 that temporarily interconnected the Ghana–Togo–Benin network with Nigeria.
“This milestone is more than a technical breakthrough — it demonstrates the possibilities when West Africa works together,” he said. Data from the test, he noted, will guide efforts toward establishing a permanent synchronised grid and developing a functional regional electricity market.
The Minister urged regional governments to move from discussion to implementation by adopting standardised, bankable regional power purchase agreements (PPAs) and shared investment mechanisms to support large-scale cross-border energy infrastructure.
“A unified electricity market will lower costs, expand capacity and create the dependable energy backbone needed for AfCFTA to deliver its full promise,” he added.
Mr. Jinapor noted that Ghana is positioning itself as a regional energy hub by pushing reforms aligned with continental objectives. These include competitive procurement of generation capacity and increased private sector participation in power distribution to enhance efficiency and transparency.
He called on ECOWAS governments and regional regulators to use the Summit as a springboard to accelerate practical steps such as harmonising transmission tariffs, aligning market rules, and strengthening regulatory and technical capacity through knowledge exchange.
“This is the moment for decisive leadership,” he said. “Let us be the generation that connected our grids, strengthened our partnerships, and powered the aspirations of our people.”
With AfCFTA implementation progressing and the AfSEM framework taking shape, Ghana aims to remain at the forefront where trade integration and energy cooperation intersect.
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