Tinubu Sounds The Alarm: Federal Government Declares National Emergency

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a national emergency on food security, calling on African nations to embrace innovative solutions to overcome challenges in irrigation and water management.

The declaration was made on Monday during the opening ceremony of the 6th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage in Abuja, where Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, represented the president.

Tinubu underscored the urgency of resolving irrigation and water-related issues, describing them as crucial for ensuring sustainable agriculture and economic stability across Africa.

“Africa still grapples with unlocking its full irrigation potential due to poor infrastructure, limited funding, climate change, and governance hurdles,” he stated. He applauded the theme of the conference — “Tackling Irrigation Development and Water Management Crisis in Africa” — as a rallying cry for collective action and strategic collaboration.

Citing Nigeria’s vast irrigation potential, Tinubu highlighted that the country boasts over 3.1 million hectares of irrigable land, particularly around the Niger and Benue river basins. He stressed the importance of expanding irrigation systems and fostering inclusive water resource management to strengthen national food security.

Also speaking at the event, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, announced significant progress made under the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project. He introduced its follow-up, the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) project, which aims to enhance TRIMING’s achievements and close existing gaps in water resource utilization.

“The TRIMING project, implemented over seven years, successfully completed the Dadin-Kowa and Bakolori irrigation schemes, and is nearing completion of the Middle Rima Valley project,” Utsev said. He added that the initiative also fostered the creation of Water Users Associations (WUAs), strengthened market connections for crops like rice and tomato, and encouraged private sector involvement through the River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs).