Nigeria Power Company Revives Old Dams, Adds 200MW

Millions of Nigerians across seven states are about to get more reliable electricity, thanks to a bold plan to resurrect forgotten power plants and pump new energy into the grid.

The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company announced this week it will revive abandoned hydroelectric plants in Oyo and Osun states while adding 200 megawatts of power to its network. Chairman Tunde Afolabi said the company has identified dormant hydro facilities that just need investment to generate clean electricity again.

"We will put funds into them and bring them back to life to improve supply across our franchise," Afolabi told reporters at the company's Ibadan headquarters. The move addresses a critical need in a region where aging infrastructure has left many without consistent power.

IBEDC serves customers across Oyo, Ogun, Osun, and Kwara states, plus parts of Ekiti, Kogi, and Niger. The company plans to buy electricity directly from generating stations to boost the 200 megawatts flowing to homes and businesses.

The announcement came as IBEDC's newly restructured board outlined its vision following recent leadership changes. Afolabi assured worried employees there would be no job losses during the transition, emphasizing that workers would be "empowered, not displaced."

The Ripple Effect

Reliable electricity transforms everything. Businesses can plan their operations without surprise blackouts. Students can study after dark. Hospitals can keep life-saving equipment running. Food stays fresh in refrigerators.

The revival of hydroelectric plants offers an extra win for the environment. These facilities generate power from flowing water without burning fossil fuels or releasing greenhouse gases. Nigeria's power sector has long struggled with liquidity issues and outdated equipment, but this investment signals renewed commitment to infrastructure that actually works.

The company also pledged to rehabilitate feeders, upgrade transformers, and replace obsolete network components. These unglamorous improvements form the backbone of dependable service that customers can count on.

Nigeria privatized its power sector in 2013, creating companies like IBEDC to serve different regions. The road hasn't been smooth, with distribution firms facing energy theft, funding pressures, and equipment that should have been replaced decades ago. But breathing life back into dormant dams shows what's possible when utilities invest in proven technology that's already built.

For families who've planned their lives around unpredictable power cuts, this expansion represents something simple yet profound: the ability to flip a switch and trust the lights will come on.