While Africa continues to make strides in hydropower development, Nigeria—home to the continent’s largest population and abundant water resources—remains significantly underdeveloped in this critical sector.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and one of its largest economies, is significantly underperforming in hydropower generation. While the country boasts vast water resources and a growing economy, it continues to lag behind peers in Africa who have invested heavily in large-scale hydropower infrastructure.
Falling Behind on the Continent
With the recent commissioning of Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) in September 2025 and Tanzania’s Julius Nyerere Dam in February 2024, Kainji Dam—Nigeria’s largest hydropower facility—has fallen out of Africa’s top 10 largest dams. In comparison, Ghana’s Akosombo Dam now ranks 10th on the continent, boasting 1,020 megawatts (MW) of capacity and the world’s largest artificial lake, with a surface area of 8,502 square kilometers and a storage capacity of about 144 billion cubic meters. By contrast, Kainji’s reservoir holds just 15 billion cubic meters.
Nigeria’s four major hydropower dams—Kainji (760 MW), Zungeru (700 MW), Shiroro (600 MW), and Jebba (578 MW)—together produce 2,638 MW. This figure is modest compared with Ethiopia’s 9,000 MW and Tanzania’s 3,400 MW, despite Nigeria having the largest population in Africa and ranking as the continent’s third-largest economy.
The Under-Dammed Reality
Hydrological experts have repeatedly highlighted Nigeria’s hydropower deficit. In November 2020, Mr. Clement Nze, Director-General of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA), urged the construction of more large dams to support power generation, irrigation, and flood control. In June 2023, he reiterated the importance of such infrastructure, particularly for flood mitigation.
Nigeria currently has approximately 50 to 56 large dams—defined as structures 15 meters or taller—primarily for irrigation and water supply. By comparison, Canada, with a population of just 41.6 million, has 933 large dams, while India, with 1.47 billion people, has 23,000. These numbers underscore Nigeria’s severe underdevelopment in both hydropower and water management infrastructure.
Challenges Holding Nigeria Back
Several factors explain why Nigeria has yet to build mega or multiple-thousand-megawatt dams. Chief among them are a lack of ambitious national vision, weak political will, and persistent governance challenges. Without leadership committed to leveraging the country’s abundant water resources, Nigeria will continue to fall behind its African peers.
A key recommendation is for national leaders to study the successes of Ethiopia and Tanzania firsthand, witnessing the scale and impact of their recent hydropower projects. Such exposure could inspire a similar commitment to ambitious, large-scale projects in Nigeria.
Untapped Water Resources and Opportunity
Nigeria’s water resources, estimated at 215 to 267 billion cubic meters, dwarf Ethiopia’s 122 to 124 billion cubic meters, highlighting the country’s enormous potential for hydroelectric power. Properly harnessed, Nigeria could add 5,000 to 10,000 MW of hydropower to its national grid within the next five to ten years.
While the country continues to focus on thermal and gas-powered plants for energy transition, sustainable development priorities strongly support significant investment in hydropower. Across Africa, countries like DR Congo, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zambia derive over 90% of their electricity from hydropower. Nigeria, with its vast water resources, must aim to balance hydropower, thermal, and solar energy to optimize its electricity mix in the coming decade.
The Mambilla Plateau: Nigeria’s Hydropower Game-Changer
A major opportunity lies in resolving the long-delayed Mambilla Plateau hydropower project. Political will and a sense of national urgency are key to overcoming the hurdles that have stalled the project—ranging from corruption and poor planning to legal and financial obstacles.
Experts suggest that the President establish a task force co-led by the Ministers of Justice and Finance to resolve legal and financial challenges, including ongoing arbitration abroad. Once cleared, a high-powered project implementation committee should ensure that the 3,050 MW Mambilla Plateau project begins construction and progresses efficiently within the current administration’s tenure, ending in May 2027.
Riding the Economic Tailwinds
Nigeria’s economic outlook is improving. Inflation has been trending downward for nearly a year, the exchange rate has stabilized, crude oil production is rising, and external reserves exceed $45 billion. According to IMF data, Nigeria’s GDP rose from $285 billion in October 2025 to $334.34 billion by December, making it Africa’s third-largest economy.
Upcoming projects like Nigeria LNG Train 7, expected to increase gas output by 35%, and expanded industrial output from major companies like Dangote Industries, position Nigeria for potential GDP growth of 5% annually. This favorable economic environment presents an ideal opportunity for the Federal Government to jumpstart hydropower development and finally realize Nigeria’s vast renewable energy potential.
Conclusion
Nigeria’s hydropower capacity is no longer sufficient for a nation of its size and ambition. The country has both the resources and the economic momentum to undertake mega hydropower projects that could transform its energy landscape. Learning from the successful experiences of Ethiopia and Tanzania, and mobilizing political will and strategic planning, could finally place Nigeria among the continent’s hydropower leaders.