House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee wey dey probe Nigeria power sector reforms from 2007 reach 2024 don summon Minister of Water Resources plus heads of major water agencies over the long delay wey still dey hold the 40MW Dadin-Kowa hydropower project since dem sign am for 2005.
Committee chairman, Arch. Ibrahim Almustapha Aliyu, issue the summons on Wednesday after Mabon Generating Company—wey get the concession to operate the plant—present their report. Lawmakers vex say the project don full with delays, addendum up and down, and plenty confusion wey dem no fit accept.
Aliyu order say the committee secretariat must summon:
Minister of Water Resources
MD, Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority
MD, Hadejia–Jama’are River Basin Development Authority
CEO, Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission
Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC)
All people wey sign the original concession and the later addendum
Dem must appear for House on 4 December 2025.
Aliyu talk say almost 20 years don pass inside the 25-year BOT concession, yet the project still dey drag. He question the due diligence wey Mabon and the government agencies do before dem sign the agreement.
“From 2005 till now, 20 years don waka. Una check the place finish before una sign agreement. Now una dey midway, una begin talk say challenges dey,” he talk.
The committee still ask make dem bring the appraisal committee report wey review the original concession, recommend the addendum, and every document wey concern performance, power generation, gaps and payment issues.
Mabon Generating Company’s COO, Umar Shehu Hashidu, talk say dem don supply over 700 million kWh of electricity to national grid since 2021 and dem no collect any federal grant or direct loan since the project start. He confirm say dem don submit all documents, including the 2005 concession paper, 2015 addendum and regulatory approvals.
Presidential Adviser on Energy, Olu Verheijen, highlight the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI), wey aim to clear Nigeria seven-million-meter shortage and reduce the heavy losses wey dey hit electricity sector.
Obafemi Sotebo, wey represent the PMI Director, talk say the initiative go end estimated billing, improve revenue, and set up smart meters wey dem fit audit remotely. He talk say if dem close the metering gap, sector losses fit drop from 45–50% to around 12–15%, wey match global standard.
