President Bola Tinubu has declared a national emergency on food security, emphasizing the need for expanded irrigation infrastructure and participatory water resource management nationwide. Represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Tinubu made the declaration at the 6th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage in Abuja.

The conference, themed “Tackling Irrigation Development and Water Management Crisis in Africa,” aims to address the continent’s irrigation and water management challenges. Tinubu urged African nations to adopt innovative strategies to unlock their irrigation potential, citing inadequate infrastructure, financial constraints, climate change, and governance issues as major challenges.

“Africa continues to face major challenges in unlocking its irrigation potential due to inadequate infrastructure, financial constraints, climate change, and governance issues,” Tinubu said. “This conference offers a vital platform for us to collectively chart a path forward.”

With over 3.1 million hectares of irrigable land located around key river basins such as the Niger and Benue, Tinubu emphasized the importance of harnessing these resources for sustainable agriculture and economic resilience. The declaration is expected to boost food production and security in Nigeria.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, announced the government’s plans to implement the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) project, in partnership with the World Bank, to consolidate on the successes of the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project.

The TRIMING project delivered notable achievements, including the completion of the Dadin-Kowa and Bakolori irrigation schemes, and 90% completion of the Middle Rima Valley irrigation project. The government has also established Water Users Associations and farmer management centers, supporting market linkages for key value chains like rice and tomato.