ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria has approved the construction of a $5.8 billion hydroelectric power plant by a Chinese state firm, the power minister said on Wednesday, the latest in a series of Chinese deals since the project was first envisioned decades ago.

The project, if completed, could provide a much needed source of energy for Nigeria. Despite its wealth of crude oil, Africa’s largest economy has long struggled with rickety power infrastructure, leaving many homes and businesses dependent on costly and inefficient fuel-powered generators.

The 3,050 megawatt (MW) Mambilla hydroelectric plant has been planned for over three decades. Various administrations have pledged to begin work, signing contracts and memoranda of understanding but next to nothing has been done.

Nigeria’s cabinet signed off on the award of the contract to build Mambilla to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Babatunde Fashola, the minister of power, works and housing, told reporters in Abuja.

China’s Export-Import Bank will provide 85 percent of the funding and Nigeria’s government will supply the remaining 15 percent for the joint venture, Fashola said, adding that construction should take around six years.

“The scope of works is very extensive, it requires the construction of four dams,” he said.

“It will involve a lot of preparatory work (and) resettlement ... It will also help Nigeria strike a very big blow on the climate change issue.”

But environmental groups raised concerns about the project.

“Many fear that Mambilla will go the way of previous large development projects (including large hydropower projects) where contracts are meted out but projects are never built,” International Rivers campaign group wrote on its official site.

“If the Mambilla dam project does continue, it could mean disastrous environmental and social impacts for those already living in poverty along the banks of the Benue River,” it said.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-nuclearpower-idUSKCN1BA0PX


Mynd44 Lalasticlala

5.8 billion dollars... I wish it was channeled into solar electricity project....
Just tired of hearing anything Hydroelectricity or electricity from Gas....
Those two seem not work in Nigeria.... Mtcheeeeeeew

May we see it rapid conclusion.

Noted.

now it is funded by a Chinese bank loan to the tune of $4.9billion while fg will provide $900 million(360 billion naira)
this is a high risk project!
let me see how fg want to manoeuvre this project after it has kept silent on calabar power project to history

... Another white elephant project that wil go down the drain

China again

God bless my President

The hell i care

wait

In 2017 when some countries are thinking of opening 'annex' in outer space, our dear country is still struggling with a basic social amenity "electricity'......

Hydro? TF?

Abeg why do we have engineeeing graduates in Nigeria?

We lack creative and intellectual leaders. We generate tones of organic waste. These can be harnessed to generate energy. We need leaders who can think outside the box, not one way leaders like Valencia of Man United

Nice one. This administration is really trying

Are we cursed or what? How many times would this same project be awarded for billions of dollars?
Let's pray this would be the final time.

baralatie:
now it is funded by a Chinese bank loan to the tune of $4.9billion while fg will provide $900 million(360 billion naira)
this is a high risk project!
let me see how fg want to manoeuvre this project after it has kept silent on calabar power project to history

What about the Calabar power project?

Who is gonna fund it?

If my memory serves me right, Nigeria's net budget is $20bn?

Another BS. We are done. Give us referendum

seunlly:
The hell i care

Who cares if you care dude?!

seunlly:
The hell i care

Who cares if you care dude?!

How many times dem go award this contract sef.... Na wa oh

Baloselly:
How many times dem dey award this contract

Go and ask PDP at wadata house Abuja?they have the records.

coldsummer:
Looool



We are really encouraging local companies made in Nigeria to grow the naira indeed.

Silly senseless man

Which local company would you recommend for this sort of project?

This won't work. Do natural gas or nuclear power in addition to some solar and an uplift to the current dam we have. As for solar, it is not reliable yet, so we as a country go into research or just buy for fun. The real deal are what I mentioned before. Electrifying a nation is hard work and commitment. The people we have in office now are carried away by greed and the company's presentation; but not wisdom. There are many states, virtually every state in Nigeria without reliable water supply, then you want to use what we have to build dam. Abeg quit with your unwise moves.

Meanwhile, the EPZ project at Ogidigben/Escravos Delta state is lying fallow there, just because its not in the North.

baralatie:
now it is funded by a Chinese bank loan to the tune of $4.9billion while fg will provide $900 million(360 billion naira)
this is a high risk project!
let me see how fg want to manoeuvre this project after it has kept silent on calabar power project to history

b4 they finish this project it gulp up $12billion I know.

How long will it take?

coldsummer:
Looool



We are really encouraging local companies made in Nigeria to grow the naira indeed.

Silly senseless man

You mean you are against Nigerians that will be employed to carry-out the project or against irrigation it will allow or against generation of electricity for the entire country.

All these don't interest you I know, just want to ventilate hate.

Mumu wailers, I am sure you heard that PMB presided over the FEC meeting today, any further questions?