Author: Solomon Ekanem Published: 3/20/2026 Business Insider Africa
A delegation of top energy sector leaders from Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal is set to visit the United States from March 23 to 27 to explore partnerships aimed at modernizing and securing West Africa’s transmission and distribution systems.
- A delegation of energy leaders from Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal will visit the U.S. to explore partnerships for modernizing West Africa’s power grids.
- The initiative, led by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), focuses on integrating U.S.-made AI solutions to enhance grid reliability and efficiency.
- Delegates will travel to several U.S. cities to meet with companies, observe technology demonstrations, and discuss regulatory, financial, and technical frameworks.
- A public business briefing in Washington will allow U.S. firms to showcase energy technologies and engage directly with the delegation about commercial opportunities.
A delegation of energy sector leaders from Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Senegal is heading to the United States this week to explore partnerships aimed at modernizing West Africa’s power grids.
The initiative, led by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), will focus on integrating U.S.-made artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to enhance grid reliability, efficiency, and resilience.
“The deployment of AI-enabled solutions and modern grid technologies will help West African countries achieve more resilient and efficient power systems while creating opportunities for U.S. companies,” USTDA officials said.
During the week-long visit, the 12-member delegation of government and power sector representatives will travel to Washington, DC; Philadelphia; and New York City.
They will meet U.S. companies and see demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies that support energy storage, grid stability, and AI-enabled control systems.
U.S. expertise poised to transform West Africa’s energy networks
On March 24, USTDA will host a public business briefing in Washington, allowing U.S. firms to hear directly from the delegation about commercial opportunities and showcase their grid security technologies.
The U.S. private sector is recognized globally for its advanced energy distribution capabilities, which are critical for making grids more stable, efficient, and secure.
West Africa faces growing energy demands due to rapid population growth, accelerating urbanization, and rising industrial activity. Modernizing transmission and distribution infrastructure is therefore a top priority for governments in the region.
In 2026 alone, Nigeria’s national electricity grid has collapsed at least twice so far – first on January 23 and again a few days later on January 26 plunging parts of the country into darkness and underscoring ongoing instability in the power sector.
The decline has forced some manufacturers to cut production and highlights how supply constraints continue to weaken the country’s electricity sector
By leveraging trusted U.S. technologies, engineering expertise, and high-quality equipment, the participating nations aim to strengthen regional power networks, reduce outages, and improve operational efficiency.
USTDA plays a central role in this effort as the U.S. government’s first mover on infrastructure development in emerging markets. The agency funds early technical work that accelerates project development, attracts financing, and facilitates the procurement of U.S. goods and services.
Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced grant funding for a feasibility study supporting the West African Power Pool’s (WAPP) efforts to expand electricity access across the region through new power transmission infrastructure.
“USTDA shares the West African Power Pool’s vision of a unified electricity market that provides reliable and affordable power to the region’s consumers,” said Amb. Vinai Thummalapally (ret.), USTDA’s Acting Director. “Our contribution will help create a new transmission line and integrate renewable energy into a more modern and reliable regional grid. We are eager to link U.S. companies to the commercial opportunities that this project will present.”
The USTDA-funded study will evaluate the technical and economic viability of constructing a 400-mile 225 kV transmission line, including associated substation and distribution equipment, from Côte d’Ivoire to Liberia. The study will also include recommendations on the potential institutional and commercial framework for the project and the preparation of bidding documents.
USTDA’s partner, WAPP, is a specialized regional institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It is comprised of 38 public and private power generation, transmission, distribution, and marketing companies that are responsible for coordinating the interconnection of the power grids in the West Africa region.
WAPP Secretary General, Mr. Siengui A. Ki, said: “The WAPP Secretariat is quite excited to execute this novel partnership with USTDA. Together, we will significantly improve access to affordable climate-friendly electricity to the ECOWAS citizenry in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and beyond. This will create new opportunities to improve their quality of life.”
This project advances the Biden-Harris Administration’s Build Back Better World partnership. It also supports the U.S. government’s Power Africa and Prosper Africa initiatives, in addition to advancing the goals of USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure, which connects U.S. industry to major clean transportation and energy infrastructure projects in emerging markets.
U.S. businesses interested in submitting proposals for the USTDA-funded feasibility study should visit www.ustda.gov/work/bid-on-an-overseas-project.
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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
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Photograph courtesy of the West African Power Pool.