Niger Govt Partners IDB on $163m Solar Project

Nigeria’s Niger State government will work with the Islamic Development Bank to develop a $163 million solar electrification project to increase power supply and support agriculture and industry, officials said on Tuesday.

The project will involve the construction of a 100‑megawatt solar power facility in north-central Nigeria on about 200 hectares of land, providing electricity to several communities across the state.

Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago said it would complement the state’s agricultural investments by improving access to reliable power for food production and agro‑processing, adding that it would help boost industrial activity and revenue generation.

Daniyar Abylkhan, leader of the development bank’s Task Team, said the bank was leveraging Niger State’s abundant sunlight to support clean energy generation and deepen its long‑standing development partnership with the state.

Secretary to the State Government Usman Abubakar said the meeting marked the start of the bank’s project preparation process, including technical, environmental and social assessments required for final approval and funding.

None of the officials gave any indication of when the project would become operational.