NISO, Benin Republic deepen electricity cooperation
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and the Société Béninoise de Production d’Électricité (SBPE), Benin’s electricity production company, have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation on cross-border electricity supply and addressing challenges affecting power evacuation from Nigeria to the neighbouring country.
The commitment was expressed during a working visit by SBPE officials, accompanied by representatives of Sahara Power Group, to NISO’s headquarters in Utako, Abuja.
Speaking at the meeting, NISO Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Abdu Bello Mohammed, FNSE, represented by Engr. Biliaminu Ishola (GM MD-NISO’s Office), assured the delegation that NISO would continue to engage with the Government of Benin Republic to resolve outstanding issues affecting electricity evacuation.
He said Nigeria had the capacity to play a greater role in the West African energy market, adding that NISO and other industry stakeholders were working to sustain the country’s contribution to addressing the region’s electricity challenges.
According to him, “discussions are ongoing on how to meet Benin Republic’s request for increased electricity supply, while efforts are being made to address the technical and operational challenges affecting power evacuation to BeninRepublic.”
He noted that Nigeria’s immediate priority remained meeting domestic electricity demand but assured the delegation that improvements in the national grid would create opportunities to accommodate additional requests from neighbouring countries.
Mohammed also highlighted improvements in grid stability since NISO’s establishment, expressing confidence that continued progress in system operations would support greater regional electricity cooperation.
Earlier, SBPE Managing Director, Laurent Tossou, said the visit was aimed at exploring how NISO could facilitate the implementation of a proposed 50-megawatt electricity supply agreement between SBPE and Sahara Power Group.
Also speaking, SBPE Portfolio Lead, Elisha Francis, said NISO’s support would be essential to the success of the partnership, particularly in resolving constraints affecting the evacuation of electricity to Benin Republic.
While explaining that Sahara Power Group had emerged through a competitive bidding process to supply 50MW of electricity to SBPE, he noted that effective implementation would require close coordination with NISO on evacuation arrangements, operational requirements and the timeline for resolving outstanding challenges.
Francis added that Benin Republic believed it could import more electricity from Nigeria if additional capacity were made available, describing SBPE as a reliable customer with a strong payment record.
He said the company was optimistic that continued engagement with NISO and the relevant Nigerian authorities would help address existing constraints and create room for increased electricity supply to Benin Republic.
