Nigeria and other West African countries have stepped up efforts to achieve a fully synchronised regional electricity grid, as operators intensify technical coordination ahead of a major June 2026 milestone.

This followed a high-level working visit by the West African Power Pool to the National Control Centre in Osogbo, where critical system studies, operational protocols, and readiness assessments were reviewed.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Nigerian Independent System Operator, the engagement focused on preparations for the second phase of regional grid synchronisation, which is expected to deepen real-time interconnection among national power systems across West Africa.

The statement noted that the transition marks a shift from loosely coordinated bilateral electricity exchanges to a more integrated and synchronised grid architecture across the sub-region.

The statement read, “The Nigerian Independent System Operator and the West African Power Pool have advanced technical and operational coordination ahead of the second phase of regional grid synchronisation, following a high-level working visit to the National Control Centre, Osogbo.

“The engagement focused on detailed system studies, operational protocols, and readiness assessments required for the June 2026 synchronisation milestone, which aims to deepen real-time interconnection of national grids within the West African power system.”

Speaking during the session, the Executive Director, System Operation at NISO, Nafisatu Asabe Ali, said the new phase would require strict compliance with unified technical standards to ensure stability and efficiency across interconnected grids.

She said, “The transition from loosely coupled bilateral exchanges to a synchronised grid architecture requires strict adherence to unified operational standards, including frequency control, voltage stability, spinning reserve adequacy, and contingency management across interconnected systems.”

Ali explained that Nigeria’s National Control Centre in Osogbo plays a central role in managing grid operations, both domestically and within the regional network.

She said the centre provides real-time supervisory control and dispatch through its SCADA/EMS platform, while also coordinating system balancing, outage scheduling, and grid security.

“The NCC is responsible for maintaining system frequency within acceptable operational limits, ensuring voltage profiles are stable across transmission corridors, and coordinating both planned and forced outages to minimise system disturbances,” she said.

She further noted that successful synchronisation would depend on aligning grid codes, protection systems, and operational procedures across all participating countries, alongside strengthening communication infrastructure for seamless data exchange.

Highlighting Nigeria’s strategic role in the regional grid, Ali pointed to key cross-border infrastructure, including the Ikeja West–Sakété 330kV transmission line linking Nigeria and the Benin Republic.

According to her, the line serves as a critical backbone for power exchange and regional load balancing. She said Nigeria’s grid is increasingly being positioned as a stabilising anchor within the West African Power Pool network, given its generation capacity and transmission reach.

“With the operationalisation of NISO under the ECOWAS-aligned electricity market framework, the NCC has assumed expanded responsibilities, including real-time system security assessment, ancillary services coordination, and cross-border energy accounting,” she added.

The statement also disclosed that NISO is investing in grid modernisation, including the deployment of an upgraded SCADA/EMS system to improve situational awareness and enable faster response to disturbances. It added that work is ongoing on a new National Control Centre facility to enhance redundancy, scalability, and resilience in system operations.

On preparedness for the June 2026 exercise, NISO said it had recorded progress in dynamic simulations, stability studies, and trial synchronisation tests with neighbouring countries to validate system performance under interconnected conditions.

Speaking on behalf of the visiting delegation, the Secretary-General of the West African Power Pool, Abdoulaye Diaw, stressed the importance of maintaining technical discipline and compliance with regional standards.

He said, “There is a need for sustained technical discipline and compliance with regional operational standards to ensure seamless grid synchronisation.”

Diaw commended NISO for strengthening system operations and urged continued investment in infrastructure, capacity building, and coordination mechanisms critical to the success of the second phase.

As part of the visit, the Acting General Manager of the National Control Centre, Osogbo, Umor Emmanuel, presented an overview of the centre’s operational framework, including its role in Automatic Generation Control and load frequency management.

The statement added that the WAPP delegation, which included senior technical officials, participated in system review sessions and operational briefings during the visit.

It noted that the team had earlier visited the Lagos Operations Regional Office on April 27, where preliminary coordination and system readiness checks were conducted.

The planned synchronisation could mark a turning point for electricity supply in West Africa, enabling more reliable cross-border power trade, improving grid stability, and unlocking efficiencies in energy distribution across the region.

Recall that in November 2025, NISO, in collaboration with the WAPP-ICC, announced the completion of a synchronisation test between the Nigerian power grid, which includes the Niger Republic and parts of Benin and Togo, and the rest of the West African power grid. The test was conducted on Saturday, 8 November 2025, between 05:04 hours and 09:04 hours.