The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s water and irrigation infrastructure through closer collaboration with the World Bank as part of measures to improve food production, expand access to safe drinking water and attract fresh investment into the sector.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Utsev, disclosed this during a meeting with a World Bank delegation led by the Task Team Leader for the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) Project, Zack Zieglhifer, in Abuja.
Utsev said the partnership would accelerate the delivery of critical projects designed to support the Tinubu administration’s agenda of achieving food security through irrigated agriculture while improving access to potable water for millions of Nigerians.
According to him, the ministry is prioritising investments that will modernise irrigation facilities, strengthen water resources management and expand water supply infrastructure to support agricultural production and rural development.
He noted that the World Bank-backed SPIN Project remains one of the government’s key interventions for transforming the agricultural sector by providing farmers with more reliable access to irrigation, increasing productivity and creating employment opportunities along the agricultural value chain.
The minister added that Nigeria would participate in the Africa Water Forum scheduled to hold later this month in N’Djamena, Chad, describing the event as an opportunity to present ongoing reforms in the country’s water sector and engage development partners and investors.
He said the Federal Government would use the forum to highlight reforms aimed at extending safe and sustainable water services to underserved communities while promoting investment opportunities capable of bridging Nigeria’s water infrastructure gap.
Speaking earlier, Zieglhifer said the delegation visited the ministry to finalise preparations for Nigeria’s participation in the continental forum, which is expected to bring together governments, financiers and development institutions to discuss practical solutions to Africa’s water security challenges.
The World Bank official, alongside Co-Task Team Leader Engr. Chinedu Umolu, said discussions at the forum would focus on innovative financing models, policy reforms and stronger partnerships needed to improve access to water and sanitation services across the continent.
The Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) Project is one of the Federal Government’s flagship programmes supported by the World Bank to rehabilitate irrigation infrastructure, improve water resources management and strengthen agricultural productivity.
Furthermore, the initiative is expected to enhance year-round farming, improve water availability for rural communities and advance Nigeria’s drive towards sustainable food security.
