The Federal Government of Nigeria has intensified efforts to tap into the country’s estimated 3,500 megawatts (MW) small hydropower potential as stakeholders push to expand clean electricity access, support agro-industrial growth, and boost local economies in underserved communities.
​The initiative gained significant momentum on Monday, August 24, 2026, during a capacity-building workshop on Small Hydropower Development held at the Government House in Gombe, Gombe State.
Organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the European Union (EU) in partnership with the Gombe State Government, the event brought together project developers, engineers, policymakers, and financial institutions.
​Representing Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya at the workshop, the Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to accelerating the completion of the Balanga Small Hydropower Project, which is currently 60 percent complete. Initiated in 2024, the project aims to power local agro-processing clusters and optimize the 38-year-old Balanga Dam.
​”Beyond generating clean electricity, the project supports irrigation, fisheries, tourism, water supply, flood control, and other livelihoods for our people,” Dr. Jatau stated. “Nigeria has over 300 potential small hydropower sites, yet less than five percent have been developed. By building local capacity using Balanga Dam as a model, we are creating a template that can be replicated across the nation.”
​Also speaking at the workshop, UNIDO Representative and Sub-regional Director, Ambassador Philbert Johnson, highlighted Nigeria’s broader 24,000MW overall hydropower potential, noting that small hydropower accounts for roughly 15 percent.
With national electricity access still below 60 percent, Johnson emphasized the urgency of scaling up decentralized renewable energy models to bridge the supply deficit.
​Addressing attendees on behalf of the federal government, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engineer Ibrahim Ali, noted that Nigeria’s existing dams offer immediate, untapped opportunities for mini and small hydro projects.
He urged private investors to capitalize on public-private partnerships (PPPs) to speed up renewable energy deployment across rural industrial corridors.
