Nigerian Government Reviews Zungeru Hydropower Output

The Federal Government has initiated a regulatory review of the $1.3 billion Zungeru Hydropower Project in Niger State, aiming to raise its output to 700 megawatts. Currently, the plant supplies approximately half of its installed capacity, generating about 350 megawatts.

The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has intensified oversight to address legal and operational challenges hindering the plant's performance, which operates under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. A stakeholders' meeting in Abuja included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Power, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, the Bureau of Public Enterprises, and Penstock Limited, the project's concessionaire.

Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, the ICRC Director-General, emphasized the importance of optimizing strategic PPP power assets to meet President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's commitment to resolving Nigeria's power issues. The Zungeru Hydropower Project, located on the Kaduna River, is crucial for enhancing electricity generation and stabilizing the national grid.