Beyond The Megawatts: Nachtigal Hydropower Project Invests In Human Capital

In a major step bridging industrial progress with social corporate responsibility, the Nachtigal Hydro Power Company, NHPC and the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF on June 30, 2026 in Yaounde formalized a strategic alliance. Claire Gall, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of NHPC, and Nadine Perrault, UNICEF Resident Representative in Cameroon, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU. Aimed at advancing children's rights and driving local development across six key council areas bordering the Nachtigal hydroelectric facility.

Six Beneficiary Councils

The two-year collaboration framework primarily benefits Mbandjock, Ntui, Batchenga, Obala, Ebebda, and Sa’a councils. By combining NHPC’s strong local operational presence with UNICEF’s structured community expertise, the initiative places women and children directly at the center of regional development.

Cultivating "Child-Friendly Municipalities"

The partnership leverages UNICEF’s "Child-Friendly Municipality" framework to assist local executives in embedding children’s rights into regional governance. A significant pillar of this strategy includes securing multidimensional funding for project maturation. Alongside the Special Council Support Fund for Mutual Assistance, FEICOM.

The Key Focus Areas

These include bolstering local municipal governance and public service coordination; constructing and upgrading schools, health centers, and safe drinking water grids. Boosting civic participation and setting up local entrepreneurship channels. And shaping green, climate-resilient municipalities that proactively support behavioral and social change.

"When local authorities place children's rights at the heart of their priorities, they build more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous communities for everyone," stated Nadine Perrault, UNICEF Representative in Cameroon. "This investment in children is an investment in human capital that will ultimately shape the future prosperity of Cameroon."

Merging Megawatts, Corporate Responsibility

For NHPC, this partnership scales up long-running corporate initiativ...