Mambilla Hydropower: Will Tinubu Consider Adesanya’s Proposal?

When Leno Adesanya conceived the idea of Mambilla Hydropower project, it was meant to bring succour to Nigerians who have for decades grappled with an inconsistent power supply. If the project had seen the light of day, the issue of erratic power supply would have probably been a thing of the past in the country.

Although it was first conceived in 1982, it was only in 2003, during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, that Nigeria approved the $6 billion contract to Sunrise and a consortium of Chinese companies to construct what was to be Africa’s largest hydroelectric power plant.

The project, upon completion, was expected to boost the country’s power generation capacity by 3,050MW. The entire cost of the project was to be borne by Sunrise and its partners, which would then transfer ownership to the Nigerian government after the agreed period.

However, just days before Obasanjo left office, the contract was revoked and awarded to China Gezhouba Group Corporation/China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGGC/CGC) at the modified cost of $1.46 billion, as the project was scaled down.

Sunrise, which felt aggrieved, wrote a petition to Obasanjo’s successor, the late President Umaru Musa-Yar’Adua, accusing some officials of the Obasanjo administration of revoking the contract after the new contractors had paid a bribe of $15 million. Yar’Adua subsequently reinstated Sunrise’s contract. In 2012, the Nigerian government followed up by signing an agreement with Sunrise, authorising the firm and its Chinese partners to proceed with the project. However, in 2017, the Muhammadu Buhari administration signed a separate $5.8 billion contract with another Chinese group, Sinohydro Consortium. To date, the project has been hampered due to legal scuffles.

With a few months away from the ruling on the popular Paris arbitration, which witnessed two ex-presidents, three former ministers, and top-tier lawyers representing Nigeria and Sunrise Power, there seems to be unrest in the Nigerian camp. Those privy to the arbitration revealed that it was not a smooth sail for the witnesses representing Nigeria.

Some elder statesmen, legal luminaries and close watchers are in doubt if President Bola Tinubu is given the full picture and facts about what transpired at the arbitration. However, from all indications, the warring factions are ready to sheathe their swords.

Investigation revealed that moves to get Sunrise Power to consider an amicable settlement had been successful. Reliable sources revealed that Adesanya has offered a reasonable settlement exit for the current administration.

A source who sought anonymity revealed that it is not yet certain if Tinubu would consider the proposal.

Another source disclosed that the forthcoming wedding of his daughter, Leona to music enthusiast, Asika, is one of the reasons he has decided to end any legal war with the federal government.