The Federal Government of Nigeria has urged President John Dramani Mahama of the Republic of Ghana to ensure that relevant agencies in his country expedite the clearance of the outstanding debt for gas supplied under the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) framework.
The call was made by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperipe Ekpo, during a courtesy visit to President Mahama on the sidelines of the Meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the West African Gas Pipeline, held in Accra on April 29, 2025.
According to earlier reports, Ghana’s outstanding debt for gas supplied by Nigeria stands at $75 million. Ekpo emphasized the urgency of resolving the payment issues to safeguard energy cooperation and regional stability.
“We are committed to sustaining continued collaboration with Ghana in the gas sector,” Ekpo stated, as he reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to resolve all outstanding matters related to gas supply under the WAGP agreement.
Ekpo also appealed to President Mahama to instruct relevant Ghanaian institutions to expedite the proposed fiscal amendments to the WAGP Act, aimed at aligning with current realities and sustaining harmony within the sub-region.
In response, President Mahama expressed appreciation for the minister’s visit and reiterated Ghana’s commitment to fulfilling its financial obligations to the WAGP project. He further pledged support for the proposed amendments to the WAGP Act, affirming Ghana’s dedication to regional cooperation and energy security.
Ekpo also used the opportunity to seek Ghana’s continued backing for the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline Project, a continental initiative designed to enhance regional energy infrastructure and promote economic integration.
Meanwhile, Ghanaian authorities had earlier in February 2025 indicated readiness to commence negotiations with N-Gas Limited, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, to settle part of the outstanding debt. The talks reportedly focused on a $37.5 million partial payment. However, when contacted, Aliyu Aminu, Managing Director of N-Gas, declined to comment on whether any payment had been made.
On the Ghanaian side, John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister for Energy and Green Transition, highlighted the importance of the debt repayment during his recent visit to the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo) facility in Tema.
Jinapor revealed that N-Gas had issued a formal notice warning of a possible suspension of gas supply due to the accumulated debt. He emphasized that the Ghanaian government is working earnestly to address the situation.
“Our priority is to ensure stable energy supply. Once the ongoing maintenance on the pipeline is completed, we are committed to restoring full gas flow to support our economy and keep the lights on,” Jinapor said.
WAPCo, which operates the 569-kilometre pipeline transporting gas from Nigeria to Ghana’s Takoradi via Tema, halted gas transportation on February 5, 2025, to carry out critical pipeline cleaning and inspection.
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