Hobnob News – April 15, 2025
President Bola Tinubu has declared a national emergency on food security, calling for an aggressive scale-up of irrigation infrastructure and collaborative water resource management across Nigeria.
The President made this declaration on Monday during the official opening of the 6th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage, held in Abuja. Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, Tinubu emphasized the urgent need for innovative strategies to tackle Africa’s growing irrigation and water management crises.
“The theme of this conference—Tackling Irrigation Development and Water Management Crisis in Africa—is a clarion call for sustainable agriculture and economic resilience,” Tinubu stated. He highlighted challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, climate change, financial limitations, and governance issues as barriers to unlocking Africa’s irrigation potential.
He noted that Nigeria alone possesses over 3.1 million hectares of irrigable land, particularly around the Niger and Benue River basins.
In his remarks, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, spotlighted the successes of the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project and introduced its successor—the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) initiative. The SPIN project, developed in collaboration with the World Bank, aims to expand irrigation capacity and maximize the economic value of Nigeria’s water resources.
Prof. Utsev cited several milestones under TRIMING, including the full completion of the Dadin-Kowa and Bakolori irrigation schemes, and 90% completion of the Middle Rima Valley project. Ongoing efforts also cover regions in Ondo, Kwara, Benue, Kebbi, Edo, Adamawa, and Oyo states.
In addition to infrastructure, the project established Water Users Associations, farmer management hubs, and market access for crops like rice and tomatoes. He also noted the commercialisation of River Basin Development Authorities, which have developed over 153,000 hectares of irrigable land, to attract private sector investment.
The minister further referenced Nigeria’s 2025 Flood Outlook and Risk Management Strategy, aimed at minimizing flood damage to farmlands.
Speaking at the conference, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Didi Wilson-Jack, stressed the need for a unified national effort to secure the country’s food future. Meanwhile, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Godknows Igali, called for strategic planning and capacity development, especially with Nigeria’s rapidly growing population.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State warned of the climate crisis shrinking farming seasons and emphasized that irrigation is now a necessity, not a luxury. He also urged development partners to prioritize support for Africa’s water and agriculture sectors, especially at the grassroots level.
President of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), Dr. Marco Arcieri, described the conference as a pivotal moment for Africa, urging sustained support for youth-driven innovation in water management.
Mr. Ibrahim Musa, head of the African Regional Working Group, expressed hope that the conference would yield impactful, continent-wide solutions.
The conference continues in Abuja until April 17, featuring technical sessions, policy dialogues, and field visits to key irrigation sites across Nigeria.
