Study of Wind Speed Patterns and Potential for Small-Scale Wind Energy in Sokoto State

Nigeria's transition to diversified renewable energy sources demands a rigorous assessment of site-specific wind resources, particularly in wind-favourable regions of the North West zone. This study examines wind speed patterns and assesses the potential for small-scale wind energy generation in Sokoto State, leveraging ten years of hourly wind speed and direction data (2013 to 2023) from Sokoto Airport meteorological station. The Weibull probability distribution function was fitted to the observed wind speed data to characterize frequency distributions, while the power density method was applied to estimate energy yield potential across seasonal periods. The analysis reveals that Sokoto State records mean wind speeds of 3.8 to 5.6 metres per second, with higher values concentrated in the dry season months of November through March. Power density calculations suggest that several locations within the state are suitable for small-scale turbine installation, particularly for rural electrification applications. The study identifies the municipalities of Wamako and Dange-Shuni as high-priority sites based on consistent wind resource availability. Economic feasibility considerations are briefly discussed, indicating favorable cost-benefit ratios for community-scale installations compared to diesel generator alternatives. The study recommends that Sokoto State's rural electrification masterplan incorporate wind energy assessments anchored in robust meteorological data. Keywords: wind energy, Weibull distribution, Sokoto, renewable energy, power density.