Small hydropower as a source of clean and local energy in Nigeria: Prospects and challenges

Just as the need for air is inevitable in our everyday existence, energy is consumed in every sector of any nation at every second. Due to the increase in technological advancements and high population growth rate, among other factors, in the world today, there is the need for more energy than in the past centuries. Therefore, one of the best solutions to address this issue of increasing energy demand in Nigeria is harnessing the enormous small hydropower potential sites that is scattered in many parts of the nation. It is unfortunate that out of over 278 potential sites with 734.3 MW potential capacity, Nigeria has yet explored only 37.0MW. It is noteworthy that the SHP scheme has its own challenges especially in developing nations. For instance, it is reported to have high capital investment. This challenge is offset by the fact that it incurs little operation and maintenance costs. It has very high payback ratio which proves it to be a cheap source of energy. Furthermore, it is a clean and local source of energy that is reliable, affordable and predictable due to the consistency in the availability of water in rivers and its ability to be integrated with existing projects. Such multi-purpose schemes that can be integrated with the SHP schemes while guaranteeing its primary function include; irrigation network, drinking water reservoirs, wastewater treatment plants, etc. It also has the potential to create many job opportunities and also enhance women development.