Abuja: The Federal Government, in partnership with the World Bank, has inaugurated the 500 million dollars Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) Project across the country.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, announced that SPIN aims to enhance dam safety, improve irrigation and hydropower, and support food security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability nationwide.
He further stated that the project would bolster Nigeria’s resilience to floods, droughts, and climate variability while promoting sustainable energy development and modern water management across both rural and urban areas. Utsev highlighted that SPIN aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on food security, economic resilience, and sustainable infrastructure development, recalling the national emergency on food security declared by the President.
The minister elaborated that SPIN encompasses four components: institutional strengthening, irrigation modernisation, improved dam operations and safety, and project management to ensure effective coordination, monitoring, and accountability throughout the implementation process. A significant feature of the project is participatory irrigation management through strengthened Water Users Associations (WUAs), which will oversee operation, maintenance, and sustainability. Utsev praised compliant states and encouraged others to participate to unlock SPIN’s benefits.
World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mr Mathew Verghis, acknowledged that economic reforms have stabilised the economy, setting a new trajectory. He noted the challenge lies in translating this stability into growth, jobs, and opportunities for all Nigerians. Verghis pointed out that SPIN builds on the TRIMING irrigation project, which reached 1.7 million people and 14,000 hectares, leveraging private sector participation, including partnerships to scale irrigation and productivity.
World Bank Global Director for Water, Mr Saroj Jha, emphasized SPIN’s priorities: maximizing water storage, maintaining irrigation systems sustainably, and attracting private sector investments to improve efficiency and farmer incomes. He mentioned that many of Nigeria’s 400 dams are affected by siltation, with roughly a quarter of newly irrigated land lost each year. SPIN addresses these challenges through empowered WUAs. Jha stressed that public investment alone cannot meet food security needs and urged for private investment to enhance water efficiency, farmer incomes, and productivity. He reaffirmed the World Bank Group’s long-term commitment to supporting Nigeria in sustainable irrigation, water management, and climate-resilient agriculture for national development.