FG Concessions Ikere Gorge Dam in Oyo State for Hydropower Generation
Iseyin, Oyo State,Tuesday
The Federal Government has officially handed over the 6-megawatt (6MW) Ikere Gorge Hydropower Plant, located in Iseyin, Oyo State, to Messrs Quaint Power and Infrastructure Nigeria under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession arrangement.
The handover ceremony was jointly performed by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, and the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, marking a major step in the Federal Government’s efforts to expand sustainable energy generation and attract private sector investment into critical infrastructure.
Speaking at the event, Professor Utsev described the concession as a significant milestone in the government’s drive to bridge infrastructure financing gaps while enhancing sustainable power generation through increased private sector participation. He emphasized that PPP arrangements remain a key strategy for unlocking Nigeria’s vast infrastructure potential.
The Minister commended the vision behind the establishment of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), noting its critical role in ensuring transparency, value for money, and efficiency in PPP-driven infrastructure development. He stressed the importance of leveraging private sector expertise and capital to complement public investments in the delivery of critical national assets.
Professor Utsev further noted that the Ikere Gorge Hydropower Plant is the outcome of a long-standing collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Federal Ministry of Power, dating back to 2012. The collaboration, he said, was aimed at harnessing Nigeria’s hydropower potential to support economic growth and energy security.
In his remarks, the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to private sector-driven growth in the power sector. He described the handover of the facility as the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria’s pursuit of clean, reliable, and sustainable energy.
Mr Adelabu noted that the Ikere Gorge Dam, which was originally developed for water supply and irrigation purposes, is now being repositioned as a strategic national asset for renewable energy generation. He expressed optimism that the project would contribute significantly to power supply in the region while supporting the country’s transition to cleaner energy sources.
The concession of the Ikere Gorge Hydropower Plant is expected to boost electricity generation, promote sustainable development, and further strengthen public-private collaboration in Nigeria’s power sector.
