Nigeria Signs $1.5B Katsina-Ala Hydropower Concession in Major African PPP Milestone

Nigeria Signs $1.5B Katsina-Ala Hydropower Deal

The Federal Government has signed a concession agreement for the Grand Katsina-Ala Hydropower Project valued at $1.5 billion, marking one of Africa’s largest public-private partnership deals in the power sector. The agreement was formalized on May 28, 2026, with Maverick Energy Partners appointed as the preferred concessionaire.

The 460 MW storage hydropower facility will be developed on the Katsina-Ala River in Benue State under a 35-year Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer (DFBOT) public-private partnership framework. The project represents one of the largest sovereign-backed renewable energy infrastructure concessions in Nigeria in recent years.

Major African PPP Milestone

The signing follows a multi-year approvals process involving Federal Executive Council concession approval, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission certification, and Transmission Company of Nigeria grid connection approval. This reflects an unusually advanced level of federal coordination and institutional alignment for infrastructure delivery across Africa.

More than an energy project, Grand Katsina-Ala is positioned as a long-term economic development platform designed to strengthen productivity, industrialization, and food security. Benue State, widely recognized as Nigeria’s agricultural heartland, sits within one of West Africa’s most productive agricultural corridors.

Economic Impact and Employment

With an installed capacity of 460 MW and projected annual generation of approximately 2,401 GWh, Grand Katsina-Ala is expected to provide system-critical baseload power to Nigeria’s national grid while supporting growing industrial and commercial demand. Hydropower remains among the few renewable technologies capable of delivering stable baseload capacity at scale.

The project is expected to create direct and indirect employment opportunities across engineering, construction, logistics, operations, agriculture, and associated industries, with multiplier effects anticipated across local communities and regional supply chains. Access to reliable and affordable electricity has direct implications for agro-processing capacity, irrigation infrastructure, cold-chain logistics, and manufacturing activity.

Strategic Advisory and Development

London-headquartered GAN International Ltd and Blackwell Advisors Ltd led strategic advisory and capital mobilisation activities across project architecture, financing strategy, investor engagement, and sovereign stakeholder alignment. The advisory team was led by Brigitte Tilley-Gyado, MA (Cantab), Founder of GAN International Ltd and Blackwell Advisors Ltd and an indigene of Benue State.

Dr Johnson B.O. Adewumi, Chairman of Maverick Energy Partners, stated: “Grand Katsina-Ala represents something larger than infrastructure alone. Benue is the food basket of Nigeria, and infrastructure of this scale has the potential to strengthen agriculture, unlock regional industry, create employment and improve economic prospects for future generations.”

Sources: The Nation Newspaper, Business Post Nigeria, PM Express, Grand Katsina Dam Project