In a fresh push to tackle Nigeria’s electricity deficit and accelerate rural development, the Federal Government on Monday partnered with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Chinese government to launch a Small Hydropower Centre of Excellence in Abuja.
The initiative, funded by the China International Development Cooperation Agency, is designed to expand renewable energy capacity, deepen rural electrification, and support agro-industrial growth across underserved communities.
The project, the first of its kind in Nigeria and the West African sub-region, will be domiciled at the University of Abuja and is expected to serve as a regional hub for technical training, policy development, and knowledge transfer in small hydropower deployment.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Regional Director of UNIDO, Philbert Johnson, described energy as a critical driver of economic growth, noting that Nigeria’s vast renewable energy potential remains largely underutilised.
“It is a special privilege and great pleasure for me to be with you today at this crucial launch of the China International Development Cooperation Agency-funded project on ‘Establishment of a Small Hydro Power Centre of Excellence in Nigeria’. Energy is indeed a critical input for sustainable economic growth and industrial development,” he said.
