Powering West Africa’s Unified Grid: NISO, WAPP Step Up Synchronisation Drive

"The process demands strict compliance with unified operational standards, including frequency control, voltage stability, spinning reserve adequacy, and contingency management across interconnected systems." Engr. Nafisatu Asabe Ali, NISO’s Executive Director, System Operation. 

.... Says “The National Control Center, 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 minimize system disturbances."

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and the West African Power Pool (WAPP) have intensified technical and operational collaboration as preparations gather pace for Phase II of the regional grid synchronisation project slated for June 2026.

This followed a high-level working visit by WAPP officials to the National Control Centre (NCC) in Osogbo, where both parties undertook detailed system studies, operational reviews, and readiness assessments aimed at deepening real-time interconnection of national grids across West Africa.

Speaking during the engagement, NISO’s Executive Director, System Operation, Engr. Nafisatu Asabe Ali, underscored the complexity of transitioning from loosely coordinated bilateral power exchanges to a fully synchronised regional grid.

She stressed that the process demands strict compliance with unified operational standards, including frequency control, voltage stability, spinning reserve adequacy, and contingency management across interconnected systems.

“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 minimize system disturbances,” she said.

Engr. Nafisatu noted that the NCC plays a central role in real-time supervisory control and dispatch through its SCADA/EMS platform, while also coordinating system balancing, outage scheduling, and grid security within Nigeria and across WAPP interconnections.

She further highlighted the strategic importance of cross-border transmission assets, particularly the Ikeja West–Sakété 330kV line, which serves as a key synchronous link between Nigeria and the Benin Republic, enabling efficient power exchange and regional load balancing.

According to her, Nigeria’s grid is increasingly positioned as a stabilising anchor within the WAPP network, given its generation capacity, extensive transmission reach, and role in providing frequency support services across the region.

With NISO now operational under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)-aligned electricity market framework, she said the NCC has taken on expanded responsibilities, including real-time system security assessment, ancillary services coordination, and cross-border energy accounting.

NISO also revealed ongoing investments in grid modernisation, including the deployment of an upgraded SCADA/EMS system to improve situational awareness, automate contingency analysis, and accelerate response to grid disturbances. A new National Control Centre facility is also under development to enhance operational redundancy, scalability, and resilience.

On synchronisation readiness, the operator reported significant progress in dynamic simulations, stability studies, and trial synchronisation exercises with neighbouring control areas to validate system performance under interconnected conditions.

Speaking for the WAPP delegation, Secretary General Abdoulaye Diaw emphasised the importance of sustained technical discipline and adherence to regional standards to ensure a seamless synchronisation process. He commended NISO’s strides in strengthening system operations and called for continued investment in infrastructure, capacity building, and coordination frameworks critical to the success of Phase II.

As part of the visit, Acting General Manager of NCC Osogbo, Engr. Umor Emmanuel, presented a technical overview of the centre’s operational architecture, including its role in Automatic Generation Control, load frequency control, and integration with regional dispatch centres.

The WAPP team—comprising senior technical officials Oumar Diaw, Julius Abayatéye, Norbert Kindadoussi, and Issoufou Rouga—participated in system review sessions and operational briefings. The delegation had earlier visited the Lagos Operations Regional Office on April 27 for preliminary coordination and system readiness checks ahead of the next synchronisation test.