Amidst poor power supply, harnessing 127 potential hydro sites across 20 states and Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, would add about 450 megawatts capacity if developed.
BusinessDay’s evaluation of a 2013 United Nations Industrial Organisation Development Organisation (UNDIO) report on small hydro potential sites in Nigeria, shows that they are yet to be implemented or factored into government’s plans since they were published.
Less than five percent of these projects have progressed to feasibility, used as the basis for capital estimates for the project.
“The Nigeria government has underperformed and has been wasteful over the years,” says O’neal Lajuwomi, in an exclusive interview with BusinessDay.
Lajuwomi added, “Nigeria has installed about 37mw of small hydro power, most of which are not functioning. They are termed wasting assets.
“These assets are components of dams that were built early in the years to supply water for agricultural process and some with components to generate hydro power. Most of them have been abandoned.”
In Cross River State, there are nine potential sites, including Afundu in Obudu Local Government Area, with a potential of 1,000Kw, Eficghim Fall in Etung LGA, for 251Kw, Kwa Falls Dam, in Aningeje, Akamkpa LGAs, with a potential 10,000Kw.
Others are Agbokim Falls in Ikom and Etung in Kwa River with 20,000 kW, potential.
University of Calabar with 6,600 potential Kw, in Boki local government Debokam site has 144Kw, in Obaniku LGA, Obudu site has a potential for 155kW. Others are Achan and Bibi Airstrip in Obanliku LGA, with 1,323Kw and 12 kW capacity.
The report details other potential sites in Katsina, Ondo, Adamawa, Plateau and Ekiti, Edo, Taraba, Osun, Ogun, Niger and Oyo state. Others are Nasarawa, Benue, Kwara, Gombe, Kano, Sokoto, Bauchi, Enugu and Kaduna.
Others still thers are Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Delta, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory.
A quick development of these sites will add 450mw of power, which experts says could power 450,000 homes, based on the energy consumption pattern of Nigerian households.
Babatunde Fashola, minister for power, works and housing, is trying to ramp up capacity through incremental power policy. Resuscitating these hydropower projects presents opportunities for quick wins for the government through public-private partnerships.
ISAAC ANYAOGU
