Katsina, French firm to build mini hydroelectric power station

Plans are afoot by the Katsina state government to establish a mini hydroelectric power station after signing a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ocean Solutions Energie to expand access to sustainable electricity.

Governor Umaru Dikko Radda, who made this known on Sunday in Abuja, explained that the initiative was aimed at boosting power supply in the state.

Radda and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Power and Energy, Dr Hafiz Ibrahim Ahmed, signed the MoU following critical engagement with development partners and industry experts in Paris, France.

The Governor noted that the mini hydroelectric power station is part of a pilot project aimed at actualizing the objective in the MoU with Ocean Solutions Energie.

Ocean Solutions Energie – a French-based company specialising in the co-development of renewable energy projects in Africa – was represented by its Chairman, Mr Minkaila Salami, who shared a vision with the Katsina State Government to advance renewable energy solutions, supporting Nigeria’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 and expanding access to sustainable electricity.

The governor, in a statement on Sunday by his aide on media, Mr Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, explained that the initiative will focus on providing reliable, renewable energy to local communities and will serve as a model for future hydroelectric developments across the state’s 43 dams.

“Katsina State Government is committed to providing financial support to ensure the successful installation and long-term sustainability of the power station,” the governor assured.

Radda continued that the pilot project, located in Danja Dam, is designed to provide energy to critical local infrastructure, including irrigation systems, a water treatment plant, small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), and households.

The new MoU aligns with the Electricity Act of 2023, which emphasizes decentralised energy solutions, integration of renewable sources into Nigeria’s power grid, and fulfilling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 on affordable and clean energy.