The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) inaugurated a Small Hydropower Centre of Excellence in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria located in the middle of the country, dominated by Aso Rock, an enormous monolith, a centre known for being one of the few purpose - built capital cities in Africa, as well as being one of the wealthiest.
Located at the University of Abuja, a tertiary institution in the Nigerian capital, established in 1988 as a dual - mode university with the mandate to run conventional and distance learning programmes, this project aims to boost renewable energy, strengthen technical training, and reduce elecreicity deficits in rural areas.
The project is the first of its kind in the country and in the West African subregion. The Chinese Government decided to establish this centre through triangular cooperation with UNIDO and the Nigerian Government, with financial support from the Global Fund for development and South - South Cooperation in China.
The trilateral cooperation is a flagship project under the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Forum of China - Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) framework involving Nigerian Ministries (Power, Water Resources) and the University of Abuja.
The centre acts as a regional hub for training, policy support, and knowledge transfer in Small Hydropower (SHP) for Nigeria and West Africa.
The development focuses on unlocking Nigeria’s untapped small hydropower potential, estimated at over 734 MW, by promoting mature, efficient technology for remote areas.
The initiative includes conducting feasibility studies, designing projects, and facilitating investment partnerships, aiming to brisge the energy gap, industrialize rural communities, and support Nigeria’s sustainable energy goals.
UNIDO’s Director and Representative to ECOWAS, Philbert Johnson, emphasized that the initiative will harness Nigeria’s hydropower potential, enhance rural electrification and boost socio - economic growth, setting a model for similar initiatives across Africa.
Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Yu Dunhai said the centere represents an innovative step in implementing the results in relations between the regions, stressing that although Nigeria possesses abundant hydropower resources, much of them remain untapped due to technical, finasncial and regulatory barriers, creating an energy gap that deepens socio - economic difficulties and limits industrial development.
For his part, the Vice - Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Hakeem Fawehinmi, pointed out that the project will expand the frontiers of availability and access to renewable energies in the country, contributing the energy gap necessary for industrialization within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Renewed Hope agenda.
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