On March 30, the project inception workshop of the "Small Hydro Power Center of Excellence In Nigeria" was held in Nigeria. The project is supported by the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The event was attended by H.E. Yu Dunhai, Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria; Ambassador Philbert Abaka Johnson, UNIDO Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS; representatives from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology; and Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja.

Ambassador Yu Dunhai stated in his remarks that the Small Hydropower Demonstration Center is a concrete step to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit. It stands as a flagship project of trilateral cooperation between China, Africa, and the United Nations under the framework of the Global Development Initiative (GDI). He expressed his hope that all parties would strengthen collaboration to advance the center’s construction with high standards, thereby helping African nations bolster energy resilience and promote sustainable development.

The foreign partners expressed their deep gratitude for China’s long-standing, steadfast support and selfless assistance. They affirmed their commitment to actively advancing the project’s implementation, jointly working towards the Global Development Initiative and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and enhancing the well-being of the people through cooperation.