Nigeria has successfully integrated its national electricity grid with the broader West African power network, marking a historic milestone in regional energy cooperation. The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), in partnership with the West African Power Pool (WAPP) Information and Coordination Centre, carried out the synchronisation test on Saturday, November 8, 2025, between 5:04 am and 9:04 am. The exercise connected Nigeria, the Niger Republic, and parts of Benin and Togo with the wider West African grid, creating a unified system operating at a single frequency across 15 countries.
A joint statement by NISO’s Chairman, Adesegun Akin-Olugbade, and Managing Director/CEO, Abdu Bello Mohammed, described the synchronisation as a major advancement toward establishing a stable, interconnected electricity market in the ECOWAS sub-region. “This milestone represents the first successful physical integration of Nigeria’s grid with the wider West African system, enhancing regional power trade and grid reliability,” the statement noted.
Efforts to synchronise the sub-regional grids have been ongoing for nearly two decades. A previous attempt in 2007 lasted only seven minutes due to operational instability and lack of coordination. This time, the success was attributed to improved coordination, real-time communication between control centres, stricter frequency management, enhanced system monitoring, and harmonised operational standards between NISO and WAPP. The synchronisation links Area 1,comprising Nigeria, Niger, and parts of Benin and Togo,with Areas 2 and 3, covering the remaining West African nations, under a single operational grid.
The integration is a cornerstone of the West African Power Pool’s strategy to create a unified electricity market. By allowing cross-border energy trade, the system aims to reduce power supply costs, improve reliability, and optimise the use of underutilised generation capacity. For Nigeria, this positions the country as a key player in the region’s energy ecosystem and offers opportunities to boost foreign exchange earnings through electricity exports. Reports indicate that Nigerian power companies lost N2.31 trillion over the past 12 years due to stranded electricity that could not be transmitted because of grid limitations.
The synchronisation is expected to strengthen grid resilience by enabling Nigeria to draw or supply power to neighbouring systems during emergencies, improving reliability for millions of consumers across West Africa. It also enhances investor confidence in transmission infrastructure projects, such as the North Core Transmission Project in Birnin Kebbi and the Ajegunle 330 kV Substation in Lagos, potentially unlocking funding from international donors.
According to NISO, the milestone demonstrates the country’s technical capacity to manage complex grid operations in line with international standards. It also underlines Nigeria’s central role in driving economic growth in the region through energy cooperation. The successful integration brings West Africa closer to its long-term goal of establishing a competitive, single electricity market capable of delivering reliable and sustainable power to over 400 million people across 14 ECOWAS countries.
The achievement underscores the importance of regional collaboration, operational excellence, and technical readiness in modern power systems, offering a blueprint for other regions seeking to integrate national grids and optimise electricity supply through shared resources.
