Niger State secures $163m deal with IsDB for 100MW solar electrification project
The Niger State Government has sealed a landmark partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to construct a 100-megawatt solar power plant, a project valued at $163 million.
The agreement was solidified during a visit by the IsDB preparation mission team to the Government House in Minna. Code-named NGA1063, the Niger State Solar Electrification Project is billed as the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa and is designed to occupy 200 hectares of land.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, who received the delegation, described the initiative as a game-changer for the state's economy.
He highlighted that the project aligns perfectly with his administration's aggressive investment in the agricultural sector, noting that reliable power is a prerequisite for food processing and industrialization.
The Governor acknowledged the IsDB’s longstanding support for the state, citing previous interventions such as the Minna-Bida road reconstruction.
He emphasized that the 100MW solar plant represents a self-sustaining investment that will boost productivity, generate significant revenue, and address multi-sectoral development challenges.
"The state will ensure that it maintains all the projects as we remain positioned to harness our potential in renewable energy," Governor Bago assured the delegation.
Speaking on the technical viability of the project, the IsDB Task Team Lead, Daniyar Abylkhan, commended the Governor’s foresight in diversifying the state's energy sources.
He noted that the bank is capitalizing on the abundance of sunlight in Niger State to generate clean energy.
Abylkhan added that the success of the bank's previous collaborations with the state was a primary motivator for this new partnership.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Usman Abubakar, explained that the meeting was convened to kickstart the preparation phase.
The primary objective is to collate necessary documentation from relevant stakeholders to facilitate the bank’s appraisal and final approval processes.
Technical consultants provided further insights into the project's strategic importance. Umar Faruk Batagarawa noted that Niger State is uniquely positioned with complementary power generating sites.
He explained that the solar project would serve as a critical stabilizer for the national grid, supplementing the approximately 2,000 megawatts already generated from the state's hydroelectric dams.
Another consultant, Mohammed Mahdi Abubakar, stressed the importance of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment currently underway.
He stated that community engagement is being prioritized to ensure the people's buy-in, which he described as a critical success factor for the project's implementation.