Press Release – Appointment of the New Secretary General of WAPP

The West African Power Pool (WAPP) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Abdoulaye DIA as its new Secretary General. This appointment was officially ratified during the WAPP General Assembly held on November 29, 2024, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Mr. DIA is a seasoned electromechanical engineer and a graduate of the École Supérieure Interafricaine d’Électricité (ESIE) in Bingerville, Côte d’Ivoire. His dedication to African integration is evident through both his academic journey and his professional contributions in diverse multicultural and multinational settings. His remarkable career includes key leadership roles in the energy sector at national and international levels.

Prior to joining WAPP, Mr. DIA held several pivotal positions at the Société Nationale d’Électricité du Sénégal (SENELEC), including Director of Communication and IT, Director of Energy Transmission, and Secretary General. He also served as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Petroleum and Energy of Senegal and was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Special Fund for the Support of the Electricity Sector in Senegal. Additionally, Mr. DIA led the Société d’Exploitation de Manantali et de Felou (SEMAF) under the Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS).

Mr. DIA’s extensive experience with WAPP, notably as member of the Engineering and Operations Committee (EOC), chairman of the WAPP “Dark Fiber” task force and as SENELEC’s representative on the Executive Board, provides him with a deep understanding of the organization’s mission and challenges.

WAPP is confident that Mr. DIA’s leadership and expertise will enable the organization to address the challenges it faces while strengthening regional cooperation to ensure sustainable access to energy across the sub-region. WAPP calls upon all its partners to support Mr. DIA in his new role to ensure his success.

The West African Power Pool (WAPP) is a specialized institution of ECOWAS tasked with integrating national electricity systems into a unified regional electricity market. Its ultimate goal is to ensure reliable and affordable electricity supply for the populations of ECOWAS member states.