The Federal Government of Nigeria Tuesday signed the Concession Agreement for the Grand Katsina-Ala Hydropower Project, formally appointing Maverick Energy Partners as preferred concessionaire for the development, financing, construction and operation of a 460 MW storage hydropower facility on the Katsina-Ala River in Benue State under a 35-year Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer (DFBOT) public-private partnership framework.
The agreement represents one of the largest sovereign-backed renewable energy infrastructure concessions in Nigeria in recent years and marks an important milestone in the evolution of public-private infrastructure delivery across Africa.
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, reflecting an unusually advanced level of federal coordination and institutional alignment.
Project developer, Maverick Energy Partners said the federally approved project is designed to deliver dispatchable baseload electricity to Nigeria’s national grid while supporting regional economic development, flood management, and agricultural irrigation.
According to project information released by the company on its official website grandkatsinadam.com, the hydropower facility will connect to the national grid through a 330kV transmission link via the Makurdi substation, with the aim of strengthening grid reliability and reducing Nigeria’s persistent electricity supply deficit.
The company stated that the project received Federal Executive Council approval for its concession in December 2025 and secured full PPP compliance certification in August 2025, positioning it among Nigeria’s major strategic infrastructure initiatives.
Structured under a Design-Finance-Build-Operate-Transfer concession model, the project is expected to attract international financing and engineering partners ahead of construction.
Maverick Energy Partners said the development is currently in the stage of concession agreement execution and engagement with Engineering, Procurement and Construction contractors as well as financing institutions to support bankable project structuring.
The company projected that financial close would be achieved between 2026 and 2027, after which EPC mobilisation and construction activities would commence under a turnkey delivery arrangement.
Beyond electricity generation, the project is expected to support irrigation, downstream flood control, and broader water resource management across parts of the Benue Basin.
The developers noted that the hydropower asset is being positioned as a multi-purpose infrastructure platform aimed at supporting energy security, agricultural productivity, climate resilience, and long-term economic growth in the Middle Belt region.
Environmental and Social Impact Assessments are also expected to guide project implementation in line with national regulations and international environmental standards.
Maverick Energy Partners said the project could generate thousands of jobs during construction and operations while stimulating infrastructure development and economic activity across Benue State and surrounding communities.
The firm described the project as part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to expand renewable energy generation and improve the stability of the national grid through large-scale hydroelectric infrastructure.
According to the company, its partnership team has participated in more than 54 hydropower and water infrastructure projects globally, representing over 60,000MW of installed or advised capacity.
The firm added that members of its consortium have previously worked on major Nigerian hydropower projects including the 3,050MW Mambilla Hydropower Project, the 700MW Zungeru Hydropower Plant, and the Gurara I and II projects.
