The federal government has officially handed over the 6 megawatts (MW) Ikere Gorge Hydropower Plant in Iseyin, Oyo State, to Messrs Quaint Power and Infrastructure Nigeria Limited under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concession arrangement.
The Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Terhemen Oraduen, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
He said the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, and the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, performed the handover ceremony on Friday.
The Ikere Gorge Dam, a key project under the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority, aims to harness the water resources of the Ogun River basin. Conceived by Olusegun Obasanjo during his military regime, construction began in 1982 under Shehu Shagari’s civilian administration, with an initial estimated cost of $10 million.
The dam spans approximately 47 square kilometres and has an electricity generation capacity of 37.55 megawatts. The project’s civil works contract was awarded to Roads Nigeria Limited in November 1980 for N35.8 million, while Messers Noell (W.A) Limited handled the mechanical and electrical components.
Following the 1983 military coup that ousted Shagari’s government, led by Tunde Idiagbon and Muhammadu Buhari, work on the dam came to a grinding halt. For decades, successive administrations neglected the project, leaving it abandoned.
In May 2025, the Nigerian government approved revitalisation of the plant. At the time, Mr Adelabu emphasised that the revitalised plant will prioritise energy access for Oyo’s Oke Ogun communities, with an upwardly revised concession fee ensuring long-term viability.
Speaking during the ceremony, according to the statement, Mr Utsev described the concession as a significant milestone in the federal government’s drive to bridge infrastructure financing gaps and enhance sustainable power generation through private sector participation.
He emphasised the importance of leveraging private sector expertise and capital to complement public investments, urging the concessionaire to optimise and enhance the plant’s capacity through the deployment of advanced technology.
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Also speaking, Mr Adelabu reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to private sector-driven growth in the power sector, describing the handover as a new chapter in sustainable energy development.
He noted that the dam, initially developed for water supply and irrigation, is now being repositioned as a strategic asset for clean and renewable energy generation.
According to him, the project aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, aimed at expanding energy access, deepening power sector reforms, and attracting private investment.
In his remarks, Chief Executive Officer of Quaint Power and Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, Bolaji Durodola, thanked the federal government for finding the firm competent to manage the Hydropower component at the dam.
He promised not to disappoint the government in its quest to improve the power sector in the country and provide job opportunities for the teaming youths through the firm.
