China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC), that shot to fame after being the main constructor on the Three Gorges project, has secured the contract to build the 2600 Megawatt (Mw) Mambilla plateau hydropower station in Nigeria, it was announced on Monday.

The US$1.46 billion project will involve the largest hydroelectric power station ever built by a Chinese company in Africa, according to the group, headquartered in Hubei Province 's Yichang City.

"Our group has mastered the world's most advanced dam building and river closure technology. Despite environmental challenges and geological structures unique to Africa, we are confident we can build a Nigerian 'Three Gorges' that will benefit the African people," said CGGC President Yang Jixue.

Back in 2005, Yang met with visiting Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 and introduced his company's services. Obasanjo was reportedly enthused and wrote on his business card: Welcome to Nigeria, the Mambilla Station is waiting for you, Yang revealed.

Currently being designed, the dam's construction is set to take six years and nine months, the Nigerian federal government announced.

The Mambilla station is part of Nigeria's National Integrated Power Plants (NIPP). This program has been injected with US$2.5 billion in funds as Obajsanjo's administration seeks to improve the nation's power transmission infrastructure and distribution network.

The foundations of this deal hark back to the when China and Nigeria signed major deals, including one whereby China agreed to build the hydroelectric power.

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2007)