- Nigeria’s electricity grid successfully synchronised with the West African Power Pool, connecting 15 countries at a single operational frequency.
- The move enables cross-border energy trading, improves grid reliability, and positions Nigeria as a central player in regional electricity markets.
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and the West African Power Pool (WAPP) Information and Coordination Centre have successfully synchronised Nigeria’s national electricity grid with the wider West African power network.
The test, conducted on Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 5:04 a.m. to 9:04 a.m., connected Nigeria, the Niger Republic, and parts of Benin and Togo to the rest of the regional grid. The milestone marks the first successful attempt at operating a unified West African electricity system at a single frequency, linking 15 countries.
In a joint statement on Sunday, November 9, NISO Chairman Adesegun Akin-Olugbade and Managing Director Abdu Bello Mohammed described the achievement as a significant step toward a stable, reliable, and interconnected electricity market across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Meanwhile, efforts to synchronise the sub-regional grids have spanned nearly two decades. A previous physical test in 2007 lasted just seven minutes due to instability. NISO credited the successful test to enhanced coordination, real-time communication among control centres, stricter frequency control, improved monitoring, and harmonised operational standards with WAPP.
Furthermore, the synchronisation links Area 1, comprising Nigeria, Niger, and parts of Benin and Togo, with Areas 2 and 3, which cover the remaining West African countries. The integration supports cross-border energy trading, reduces supply costs, improves reliability through shared reserves, and unlocks underutilised generation capacity.
NISO said the move strengthens Nigeria’s leadership in regional energy cooperation, increases access to international funding for transmission projects, and boosts investor confidence in initiatives such as the North Core Transmission Project and the Ajegunle 330 kV Substation.
“The successful synchronisation demonstrates NISO’s technical capacity to manage complex grid operations to international standards and affirms Nigeria’s central role in regional economic growth through energy cooperation,” the statement said.
The milestone advances West Africa’s goal of a single, competitive electricity market capable of supplying sustainable power to more than 400 million people across ECOWAS countries.