Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Adeleke Mamora, addressed why Nigeria remains poor despite its abundant resources. Speaking at a workshop on accelerating small‑hydropower investments in Abuja, the minister explained that the country’s underdevelopment stems from a lack of capacity to convert potential into reality. Organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation in collaboration with the Energy Commission of Nigeria, the event highlighted the need for conscious decisions to harness Nigeria’s natural wealth.
Adeleke Mamora warned that praising the country’s abundant resources is meaningless unless those resources are turned into tangible benefits. “In Nigeria we constantly talk about our potential—our renewable energy sources—but potential remains just that until we make it real,” he said, questioning why a blessed nation remains poor. He urged everyone to interrogate this paradox and commit to transforming potential into reality. According to Mamora, a nation’s development is closely tied to its research and development initiatives, which are essential for growth.
Mamora lamented the failure to attract investment in renewable energy, noting that Nigeria has a hydropower capacity of 24,000 megawatts across 278 potential sites, yet less than 3 percent of this capacity is currently used to improve electricity access. Despite this shortfall, he expressed optimism that a transformed energy sector could broaden Nigeria’s prosperity through partnership and dialogue. “Collaboration among policymakers, academia, public financiers, and private sector actors is essential to enhance investment in renewables, especially small hydropower, and achieve the desired results,” he asserted.
Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Maryam Katagum, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to accelerating hydropower investment. She emphasized that the workshop aims to raise awareness of existing opportunities and to harness the numerous small‑hydropower sites scattered across the country. A key outcome of the event was the inauguration of a technical committee tasked with identifying solutions and implementable policies to increase renewable‑energy investments.
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