Overview#
Niger State is the country's hydropower powerhouse — the Kainji Dam (760 MW, 1968), Jebba Dam (570 MW, 1985) and Shiroro Dam (600 MW, 1990) collectively account for the bulk of Nigeria's hydroelectric capacity. The state also hosts the Zungeru Hydro Power Plant (700 MW, commissioned 2024) and substantial gold, talc, kaolin and lead-zinc resources.
Geology & Deposits#
Hydropower. Kainji (Niger River, completed 1968 — also the engineering event behind the drowning of Old Bussa and several Hausa kingdoms, see Kainji Dam); Jebba (Niger, 1985); Shiroro (Kaduna River, 1990); Zungeru (Kaduna River, 2024). Gold. Bin Yauri-Wushishi belt, Mariga (the Zamfara-Niger artisanal-gold-and-banditry frontier). Talc. Kagara, Rafi — the largest talc deposit in Nigeria. Lead-zinc, fluorite, copper. Wushishi. Marble, limestone, granite, kaolin. Scattered. Hydrocarbons. None. Agricultural produce. Rice (Bida, Wushishi), yam (Tafa, Suleja), shea-butter (Niger is a leading shea-nut state).
Operators & Output#
- Mainstream Energy Solutions (MESL) — Kainji + Jebba (concession from 2013). - North-South Power Company (NSP) — Shiroro. - Zungeru Hydro Plant Company — Zungeru (built by China-Sino Hydro, 2013–2024). - Multiple artisanal-gold operators — Mariga.
Host-Community & Revenue#
No oil derivation. Hydropower royalties are paid into the Federation Account; the Niger Delta-style "hydroelectric power-producing-areas derivation" has been a long-standing political demand of Niger State (and Kebbi, Kogi) — partial relief came through the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) funding architecture, not direct derivation.
Current Status#
Producing: every named hydro plant; talc (Kagara); artisanal gold (with security degradation around Mariga); shea-nut and rice.
References
Sources#
- Mainstream Energy Solutions (Kainji-Jebba concession agreement, 2013).
- North-South Power Company (Shiroro).
- Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) — hydro PPA portfolio.