Nigeria Launches $500m SPIN Project to Revive Irrigation, Food Security
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria and the World Bank have launched a $500 million Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) project aimed at restoring irrigation systems, improving dam safety and boosting food production nationwide.
The initiative was formally inaugurated in Abuja on Tuesday by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s worsening food security challenges.
Decades of poor maintenance, silted dams and deteriorating irrigation canals have caused roughly 25 per cent of newly irrigated farmland to disappear each year, threatening agricultural productivity.
“SPIN aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises food security, economic resilience and sustainable infrastructure development,” Utsev says.
The programme includes four major components: strengthening water institutions, modernising irrigation systems, improving dam operations and ensuring transparent project management.
A key feature is the creation of Water Users Associations, community groups tasked with managing irrigation systems and maintaining infrastructure.
World Bank Country Director for Nigeria Mathew Verghis says economic reforms have stabilised Nigeria’s finances but stresses that growth and job creation remain critical.
“The challenge is translating this start into growth, jobs and opportunities for all Nigerians,” he says.
The SPIN programme builds on the earlier TRIMING irrigation project, which supported about 1.7 million people and irrigated 14,000 hectares of farmland.
World Bank Global Director for Water Saroj Jha warns that heavy siltation continues to threaten many Nigerian dams.
“Public investment alone cannot meet food security needs. Private investment is crucial to improve water efficiency, farmer incomes and productivity,” he says.
Officials say the new initiative could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s climate-resilient agriculture and long-term water infrastructure.
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Chukwu Obinna 
Korede Abdullah