Fed Govt Launches $500m Hydropower, Irrigation Project To Boost Food Security

The federal government has flagged off the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) Project, a $500 million World Bank–supported intervention designed to strengthen dam safety, modernise irrigation systems and enhance climate resilience across the country.

At its launch yesterday in Abuja, the minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, described the project as a major milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to improve agricultural productivity, expand hydropower generation and safeguard water infrastructure.

He said the SPIN project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasises food security and sustainable infrastructure.

“With increasing climate variability, erratic rainfall and rising food demand, Nigeria must move beyond dependence on rain-fed agriculture and invest in modern, efficient and climate-resilient irrigation systems,” the minister said.

The minister said the SPIN project has been designed around four major components: institutional strengthening and capacity building for water governance and cross-sector coordination, irrigation modernisation, including rehabilitation and upgrade of existing systems to improve service delivery to farmers, improvement of dam operations and safety, and project management, focusing on coordination, monitoring, evaluation and accountability.

A key feature of the project, he said, is its emphasis on participatory irrigation management through the strengthening of Water Users Associations (WUAs). These groups will play a central role in maintaining infrastructure and ensuring long-term sustainability of investments, he added.

The minister commended states that have met the participation requirements, particularly those that have established enabling frameworks for WUAs and provided necessary institutional support.

He urged other states yet to meet the criteria to take urgent steps to join the programme.

“The opportunities presented by SPIN are significant, and the federal government remains committed to supporting all states prepared to meet the required conditions,” he said.

Utsev stressed that the success of SPIN will depend on collaboration among federal and state governments, farmers, Water Users Associations, development partners, and the private sector.

“Today’s flag-off marks the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria’s efforts to modernise irrigation, strengthen water governance, enhance agricultural productivity, and improve the livelihoods of millions of farmers,” he added.

In his welcome address during the SPIN Steering Committee Meeting,  Utsev said the project was designed as “a transformative platform linking irrigation modernisation with sustainable power solutions to enable year-round agriculture, expand agro-industrial activities, and stimulate rural economies.

He noted that the project achieved effectiveness on 27 October 2025 following earlier benchmarks set during the inaugural meeting, including strengthening institutional coordination, improving technical readiness, deepening environmental and social compliance, and firming up financing arrangements.

“As the apex decision-making body for the SPIN intervention, this committee must safeguard policy coherence and inter-governmental alignment,” he said, urging members to recommit to timely delivery of agreed milestones,” he said.

Also, the minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, described the meeting as a crucial platform to assess progress and strengthen implementation following the project’s activation in October 2025.

Adelabu noted that although the World Bank approved the project in September 2024, administrative delays pushed its activation by a full year. He added that the project has since received positive ratings from the World Bank’s Implementation Support Mission held in November 2025.

“Our collective efforts have resulted in progress. We have started strong and we must sustain this momentum,” he said.