Nigeria Targets ₦1.49 Trillion Annual Revenue from Electricity Exports to 15 West African Nations Starting June 2026

The Federal Government today, Thursday, November 20, 2025, announced an ambitious economic goal for the power sector, projecting nearly ₦1.49 trillion ($1 billion) in annual revenue from electricity exports to 15 countries within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), starting from June 2026.

The projection was disclosed by the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, who confirmed that the earnings are based on utilizing the full 600 megawatts (MW) of contracted bilateral export capacity, billed at the higher prevailing regional tariff.

“This prospective revenue positions Nigeria to fully exploit its strategic role as the regional power hub under the West African Power Pool (WAPP),” Minister Adelabu stated.

A Milestone in Regional Integration

The Minister credited the projection to the successful four-hour grid synchronisation test conducted on November 8, 2025. This exercise saw Nigeria’s national grid connect with the entire interconnected West African system (including Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali) for the first time in history, operating at a unified, stable frequency.

This technical achievement proves that West Africa is now capable of functioning as a cohesive power bloc, paving the way for the government’s target of achieving permanent grid synchronisation by June 2026.

Officials noted that the revenue will be generated because while the average approved tariff in Nigeria is only about $0.07 per kilowatt-hour, the regional tariff averages around $0.19 per kilowatt-hour. At this regional rate, consistently delivering 600 MW can generate close to $1 billion annually.

The government assured electricity consumers that this export commitment will not compromise domestic supply. The Minister highlighted that Nigeria’s transmission capacity stands at 8,500 MW, far exceeding the current average generation of around 5,000 MW, leaving substantial surplus capacity available for export. This revenue stream is expected to provide a critical buffer for the power sector, helping to alleviate liquidity shortfalls and stabilize the domestic electricity market.