Nigeria unveils plan to transform hundreds of small dams into local power sources

ABUJA – The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, announced a strategic plan on Wednesday to harness the country’s network of over 300 small dams for localized electricity generation.

The initiative prioritizes domestic turbine manufacturing and enhanced data collaboration to reduce import dependency.

Speaking at a meeting in Abuja with leaders of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Adelabu directed the ECN and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to strengthen their partnership in research and data-sharing.

This effort is intended to support President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for a reformed power sector that drives national economic growth.

“Hydro is the most reliable source of power in the world,” Adelabu stated. “These small dams littered across our states are untapped goldmines. Achieving this requires local manufacturing of turbines, which are the core of hydro generation. States must also take greater responsibility in generation, transmission, and distribution, with the ministry’s full support.”

He emphasized the need to curb foreign exchange expenditure on imported components, such as meters, by boosting domestic production to match Nigeria’s growing export capabilities.

Adelabu further announced the creation of a central ministry-wide data repository, incorporating information from Generation Companies (GenCos), Distribution Companies (DisCos), and other stakeholders to enable precise planning and decision-making.

“Without data, we cannot plan effectively. Its absence has been a major setback,” he remarked.

To ensure closer coordination, the Minister invited the ECN to join the quarterly Power Sector Working Group and highlighted the importance of aligning research with the ministry’s departmental goals.

In response, ECN Director General Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi pledged the agency’s commitment to collaborating with the ministry in order to realize the administration’s economic objectives.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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