The long-awaited synchronization 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, has been successfully conducted by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO), in collaboration with the West African Power Pool Information and Coordination Centre (WAPP-ICC).
According to NISO, 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.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Board of Directors of NISO, Dr. Adesegun Akin-Olugbade, and the Managing Director/CEO of NISO, Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed, the System Operator revealed that although several synchronization arrangements had been proposed in the past, the only known physical synchronization attempt took place in 2007 and lasted for about seven minutes before being discontinued.
The statement said following the renewed engagements and enhanced coordination between NISO and the WAPP-ICC, the exercise was successfully accomplished through improved system monitoring, stricter frequency control, harmonized operational standards, and real-time communication among participating control centres.
It explained that the synchronization 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.
NISO noted that 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, it said the 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,” NISO said.
The successful synchronization, according to the System Operator, marks a historic milestone in regional energy cooperation and demonstrates NISO’s technical capacity to manage complex grid operations in line with international standards.
