Nigeria signs agreement for Shiroro solar power project
Port Harcourt -- Vice President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria’s energy transition journey as well as its resolve to embrace clean and renewable energy solutions remain on track.
Shettima stated this on at the Presidential Villa during the signing of the joint venture agreement for the establishment of the Shiroro Generating Company - Nigeria’s pioneer 20 megawatts, MW, on-grid solar-hydro hybrid project.
The vice president noted that the event marks a significant milestone and will boost the country’s energy transition journey and was also an affirmation of President Bola Tinubu administration’s resolve to embrace clean and renewable energy solutions.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria under the able leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; remains steadfast in supporting initiatives that drive economic growth, enhance energy security and protect our environment,” he said.
The Shiroro Generating Company is a joint venture project between the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and North-South Power Ltd.
The 20MW pilot project is embedded within a larger 300MW solar programme, to be co-located within NSP’s existing 600MW Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Plant concession area in Shiroro, Niger State.
Speaking on the significance of the project, the vice president said the signing of the agreement for the 20MW solar plant was a journey which is pivotal to the nation's sustained growth and development.
“As a nation, our resolve is to take proactive steps to diversify our energy sources, reduce our carbon footprints and ensure a more sustainable future for generations to come. And this is a pioneering project in terms of hybridizing power in solar and hydro.
“I believe that this is a harbinger of greater things to come. This project will serve to attract further investments in the space by growing both the business and financial models for such projects,” he stated.