Niger State government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) on development of renewable energy and low carbon solution projects.

A statement by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Bologi Ibrahim, said the pact would, among other things, bring about the development of a Greenfield hydro electric power project, solar parks in institutions, home solar systems for 250,000 households and the establishment of a 500 million-litre ethanol plant.

The statement further said that maize, sugarcane and sweet sorghum would be cultivated on 100,000 hectares of land in the state to produce over 500,000 tonnes of the crops that will be used to fuel the ethanol plant.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abubakar Usman, signed the MoU on behalf of Niger State government, while the NNPC’s Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, as well as Managing Director, New Energy Limited, Kanayo Chukwu Odoe, signed for the Corporation at the Abuja Head Office of the Corporation.

Bago, who described the signing of the MoU as historic and expressed confidence that Nigerlites would benefit a lot from it, said the state government would continue to take advantage of the water bodies in the state to make green energy a reality.

Ogunleye, who stated that the leadership of the NNPCL is focused on not just projecting clean energy in Africa, but exploring the route and converting it for the prosperity of the country, lauded the leadership style and commitment of Bago. He also expressed optimism that the MoU with Niger State would create the platform to work together in terms of creating a green energy economy.

Earlier, Odoe described the partnership as progressive, adding that the Corporation’s objective of making Nigeria a hub of green energy and green economy is realizable.