The continued availability of 1,500 mega watts electricity from Nigeria’s hydro power stations at Kainji and Jebba is being threatened as Niger Republic begins the construction of a hydro-electric-power dam on the upstream side of the River Niger.
Nigeria has been supplying about 35 megawatts electricity daily to Niger Republic over the years mainly to discourage the country from building a dam on the Niger River.
However, in August 2008, Niger Republic launched the Kandadji dam project which is being built on River Niger and is expected to cost $709 million and boost farming and power generation in the country.
Nigeria is located on the downstream side of the river and experts say that the project will lead to reduction of not less than 10 percent in the inflow of water to the Nigerian side.
Even presently, experts say that there has been consistent reduction in water inflow into the river over the years because of climate change. Thus, it is feared that a combination of climate change and reduced water inflow could paralyse the Kainji and Jebba power stations in the coming years.
Former executive director, generation, of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), Goddy Orangunye, told BusinessDay that the building of the dam by Niger would definitely affect water inflow into Kainji and thereby reduce power generation at the hydro stations.
“Water starts flowing into the Kainji Lake by June from Futa Djallon and it fills up by December. So, the plan is always that we fill the dam up till December and start using the water between December and June,” he said.
“However, if the dam is built, it will seriously affect inflow of water into the Kainji lake which will in turn affect Jebba because Jebba is downstream of Kainji”, the power expert added.
Orangunye said “that is why we give Niger about 40 megawatts daily to discourage them from damming the river”.
Nigeria’s third hydro power station, the Shiroro power station, is however not on the river.
The Kandadji dam will be funded by the Islamic Development Bank, which has pledged $236 million for the project that has been under discussed for nearly 40 years.
The Kandadji dam is expected to be completed in 2013.
Financing for the hydropower station itself is due to come from a public-private partnership, the Nigerien government has said
However, the general manager, public affairs of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Efuru Igbo, said the issue of the new Kandadji dam and its likely effect on inflow of water into Nigerian power stations on the river are being discussed at the Niger River Commission, which comprises member-countries where the river flows through.
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about 4,180 km (2,600 miles). Its drainage basin is 2,117,700 square kilometres (817,600 sq mi) in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea. It runs in a crescent through Mali, Niger, on the border with Benin and then through Nigeria, discharging through a massive delta, the Niger Delta into the Gulf of Guinea. The Niger is the third-longest river in Africa, exceeded only by the Nile and the Congo River. Its main tributary is the Benue River.