The Country Representative of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), David Tommy, gave the figure in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city on Thursday at a seminar on “Small Hydro Power Development in Nigeria” organized by UNIDO.
He said the UN agency had made some giant strides in the promotion of renewable energy development in the country.
According to him, the UNIDO Regional Center for Small Hydro Power in Africa has identified more than 300 small hydro power sites capable of providing us with 3,000 megawatts.
“We have studied the detailed project report for 20 of these Small Hydro Power (SHP) sites, thus making them ready for investment,” he said.
“We have demonstrated the work-ability of SHP in Nigeria by implementing some sites, including the 400-kilowatt Mambila Plateau in Taraba and the 150-kilowatt site at Waya, Bauchi State, among others,” Tommy added.
The official regretted that in spite of the huge potential of renewable energy sources in Nigeria, the country had yet to meet its energy demands.
Also speaking, the Operational Focal Person at the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Festus Eguaoje, advised Nigeria to focus on its small renewable energy projects.
Eguaoje said a lot of attention should be given to small power projects to meet the needs of the rural populace.
He said UNIDO, in collaboration with the Energy Commission of Nigeria, was currently building capacity for small hydro power projects in Nigeria.
In a speech, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Rabi Jimeta, said Nigeria’s crave for industrialization could not be realized without first developing the power sector. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
