Ghana, Nigeria Explore Electricity-for-Gas Barter Agreement

Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, has disclosed that Ghana is in talks with Nigeria over a potential barter deal that would see electricity exchanged for gas.

Speaking at the Future Energy Conference (FEC) hosted by the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Jinapor explained that the arrangement could boost regional energy security while deepening economic and infrastructural integration across West Africa.

“We believe that we can work together. Ghana takes gas from Nigeria, generates power, and re-exports. We are in discussions with Nigeria to see if we can have a barter where we take their gas, convert it into power, and export the power back to Nigeria in the spirit of West Africa cooperation,” he said.

He further noted that Ghana already supplies electricity to Togo, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Benin, with plans to extend exports to more neighboring countries.

Jinapor also highlighted Ghana’s progress on the Nuclear Power Program, positioning nuclear energy as a reliable base load option. According to him, strengthening Ghana’s participation in the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) is critical to enhancing resilience and reducing costs across the region.

The FEC, ACEP’s annual flagship event, convenes policymakers, multilateral institutions, private sector actors, academia, and civil society groups to deliberate on Africa’s energy challenges. This year’s theme, “Financing Africa’s Energy Future: Unlocking Investments for Energy Access and Economic Transformation,” focused on strategies to mobilise investments for energy transition, bridge energy poverty, and accelerate economic growth.