KEY POINTS
- Togo has requested increased electricity imports from Nigeria to meet rising domestic power demand.
- The Niger Delta Power Holding Company says it is open to expanding supply under commercially sustainable agreements.
- Despite exporting power regionally, Nigeria continues to face domestic electricity challenges and is still owed about $17.8 million by neighbouring countries.
Officials of the government of Togo have approached Nigeria to increase the volume of electricity supplied to the country as demand for power continues to surge across its industrial and residential sectors.
The request was disclosed by Jennifer Adighije, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), after hosting a delegation from Togo’s national electricity utility for discussions aimed at expanding the existing bilateral electricity supply arrangement between the two countries.
The visiting team was led by Débo K’mba Barandao, Director-General of Compagnie Energie Electrique du Togo (C.E.E.T.), the agency responsible for electricity distribution in Togo.
Togo Currently Imports 75MWh of Electricity from Nigeria
According to Barandao, Togo currently purchases about 75 megawatt hours of electricity from Nigeria under an existing cross-border supply agreement. The imported electricity has played a significant role in maintaining stable electricity supply across the country.
He explained that the energy imports help sustain power for households, businesses, and government institutions while also improving the reliability of Togo’s national power grid.
Barandao noted that the demand for electricity in Togo has risen sharply in recent years as the government continues to expand electricity access nationwide. The growing number of consumers connected to the grid—particularly within the commercial and industrial sectors—has intensified the need for additional energy supply.
“In view of this development, C.E.E.T. is strongly interested in increasing the volume of electricity it off-takes from NDPHC,” he stated.
Responding to the request, Adighije reaffirmed the readiness of NDPHC to strengthen power cooperation with neighbouring countries within West Africa.
She explained that the company operates multiple power plants under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), which provides additional capacity that could support higher electricity exports across the region.
Adighije added that such partnerships align with broader regional objectives promoted by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which seeks to enhance electricity trading among member states in order to improve energy security across West Africa.
However, she stressed that expanding power exports would require sustainable and commercially viable agreements, including reliable payment structures and financial guarantees to reduce the risks associated with cross-border electricity trade.
