Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, has revealed that the Ghanaian and Nigerian governments are discussing a barter deal for the exchange of gas and electricity.

At the Future Energy Conference (FEC) hosted by the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), the Energy Minister said, “We believe we can work together. Ghana takes gas from Nigeria, generates power, and re-exports.”

He added, “We are in discussions to see if we can create a barter arrangement where we take their gas, convert it into power, and supply electricity back to Nigeria in the spirit of West African cooperation.”

This is to strengthen regional energy security while deepening integration across West Africa. Ghana supplies electricity to Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, and Burkina Faso.

Last year, while serving as the Ranking Member for the Committee on Mines and Energy, John Jinapor noted that Ghana ceased the provision of electricity to Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso.

“The very day the president was delivering the State of the Nation Address and boosting, at that very period, the utility companies were shedding load.

"The situation appears to be exacerbating. Yesterday alone there was a whopping 580MW of deficit, culminating in the stop of power supply to Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo,” Mr. Jinapor said.

The Future Energy Conference, ACEP’s annual flagship event, convenes governments, multilateral institutions, private sector actors, academics, and civil society to discuss governance, innovation, and policies required to close Africa’s energy access gap.

This year’s edition, themed “Financing Africa’s Energy Future: Unlocking Investments for Energy Access and Economic Transformation,” focused on mobilising investments to tackle energy poverty and accelerate the continent’s economic transformation.

The Ghana National Gas Company Ltd. (Ghana Gas) on August 16 began a scheduled maintenance shutdown of the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant (Plant) expected to end on 30th August 2025.

This follows the approval of a request sent to the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition. According to the Energy Ministry in a statement signed by Richmond Rockson, Esq.

Spokesperson And Head Of Communication, this “essential maintenance is part of government's commitment to ensuring the continued safe and reliable operation of the plant.”

In light of this, Ghana Gas will temporarily suspend the supply of gas within the stated period to facilitate this essential maintenance.

During this period, the plant will undergo critical maintenance activities designed to enhance its operational efficiency and overall performance. These activities include inspections, repairs, and upgrades to key equipment and systems.

The ministry in collaboration with key power sector players, has put in place comprehensive measures to mitigate any potential impact on power supply during the maintenance period.

These measures include the strategic deployment of alternative fuel sources to ensure a stable and uninterrupted electricity supply across the country.

The Energy Ministry has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to maintaining a reliable power supply at all times. “We will keep the public informed by providing regular updates on the progress of the ongoing maintenance,” the statement added.

The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo), the operator of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), carried out major maintenance work from February 5 to March 2, 2025.

The activities involved pigging and conducting in-line inspections along the 569 km offshore pipeline that spans from Ajido, Lagos State, in Nigeria to Takoradi in Ghana’s Western Region. The project also included replacing essential subsea valves in Tema and Cotonou to improve safety measures.

Due to this maintenance, certain services were temporarily halted, including the reverse flow of natural gas from the Western Region to Tema, as well as gas transport from Nigeria to Cotonou, Lomé, and Tema. Nonetheless, some natural gas transportation from Nigeria to Takoradi remained unaffected to support the pipeline’s cleaning and inspection procedures.

This detailed cleaning and inspection process is required by regulations and adheres to industry best practices to ensure the ongoing safe and effective operation of the WAGP.

The maintenance occurred in two phases. The first phase, which wrapped up in December 2024, addressed the onshore section of the pipeline in Nigeria. The second phase, which began on February 5, 2025, focused on the offshore portion of the pipeline.

The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition disclosed that the gas supplier, ENI, completed a key upgrade on the country's gas infrastructure.

In a press statement on Monday, July 14, the ministry noted that the new development raises output from 245 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) to 270 MMscfd.

As such, the upgrade supports Ghana’s efforts to boost gas supply for power generation and industrial use.

“This enhancement in gas supply is a significant step towards ensuring a reliable and sustainable energy supply for the nation,” the Ministry stated in an official release issued on Monday, July 14.

The Ministry has lauded ENI and all stakeholders within the power sector for their collective efforts in bringing the project. Before the upgrade, the ministry announced a possible temporary power disruption on Sunday, July 13, to allow ENI to undergo a rehabilitation session.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has cautioned that without immediate reforms, the energy sector risks collapsing under the weight of growing debt.

According to Dr. Forson, ECG successfully collects only 62% of the electricity it supplies, leaving nearly 40% unaccounted for—either lost due to technical faults or unpaid.

This shortfall has forced the government to provide continuous financial support, with budgetary transfers reaching $2.1 billion over the past two years.

Dr. Forson emphasized that these inefficiencies are severely impacting the economy, as government support for the energy sector has reached unsustainable levels while ECG continues to struggle with operational and revenue challenges.

ECG managed to raise GH¢1.6 billion in revenue in the first half of 2025, against a projected target of GH¢2.5 billion.

However, the Energy Ministry has disclosed the construction of the 161kV Anwomaso to Kumasi transmission line, co-funded by the European Union and the government of France.

The €8.7 million project is expected to assist in stabilizing the low voltage in Kumasi, and Dukwaw mining areas will be constructed by the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCO).

It is projected to be completed within 12 months. This will facilitate Ghana’s export of power to Burkina Faso.

The reconstruction of the transmission line will enable the provision of double-circuit, twin-bundled transmission line of rated capacity to improve power transfer between the Ahodwo (K1BSP) and the Anwomaso (K2BSP) substations.

On his part, EU Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Irchard Razaly, has noted that the project serves as its commitment to providing greener and more efficient energy for Ghanaians.