By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), in collaboration with the West African Power Pool Information and Coordination Centre (WAPP-ICC) has successfully carried out the long-awaited synchronisation test between the Nigerian power grid which includes Niger Republic and parts of Benin and Togo and the rest of the West African power grid.
A statement co-signed by Engr Abdu Bello Mohammed, MD/CEO and Chairman, Board of Directors, NISO noted that the test was conducted on Saturday, 8th November 2025, between 05:04 hours and 09:04 hours, and marks a major breakthrough in the ongoing effort to establish a unified West African electricity grid operating at a single frequency.
Although several synchronisation arrangements had been proposed in the past, the only known physical synchronisation attempt took place in 2007 and lasted for about seven minutes before being discontinued.
Following renewed engagements and enhanced coordination between NISO and the WAPP-ICC, the exercise has now been successfully accomplished through improved system monitoring, stricter frequency control, harmonised operational standards, and real-time communication among participating control centres.
“The synchronisation connects Area 1 (Nigeria, Niger, and parts of Benin and Togo) with Areas 2 and 3 (the rest of West Africa), creating a single operational grid that enhances reliability, stability, and cross-border energy exchange across the ECOWAS region.
“The initiative aims to achieve operational unification of the regional grid, improve system reliability through shared reserves, enable cost-effective power generation and trading under the West African Electricity Market (WAEM), and strengthen institutional cooperation among member system operators.
“For Nigeria, this achievement provides multiple benefits, including unlocking stranded generation capacity, enabling energy exports and foreign exchange earnings, improving grid resilience, and reinforcing the country’s leadership role in regional energy integration. It also opens access to donor funding for priority transmission projects such as the North Core Project in Birnin Kebbi and the Ajegunle 330 kV Substation in Lagos State.
“The successful synchronisation marks a historic milestone in regional energy cooperation and demonstrates NISO’s technical capacity to manage complex grid operations in line with international standards,” the statement read in part.