Breaking: Tinubu Declares National Emergency Amid Mounting Crises

President Tinubu Declares National Emergency on Food Security, Urges Africa to Innovate in Water Management....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared a national emergency on food security, calling on African nations to embrace innovative solutions for irrigation and water management across the continent.

The announcement was delivered on Monday at the opening of the 6th African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage in Abuja. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, represented the President at the event.

Tinubu stressed that overcoming challenges in irrigation and water management is essential for achieving sustainable agriculture and long-term economic resilience in Africa.

“Africa faces significant hurdles in realizing its irrigation potential due to poor infrastructure, limited financing, climate change, and governance issues,” he said. He commended the conference’s theme, “Tackling Irrigation Development and Water Management Crisis in Africa,” as a vital call to collective action.

He also highlighted Nigeria’s own potential, noting that the country has over 3.1 million hectares of irrigable land, especially near major river basins like the Niger and Benue Rivers. He emphasized the need to expand irrigation infrastructure and promote inclusive water resource management to safeguard the nation’s food supply.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, reported notable achievements under the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project. He announced the launch of a follow-up initiative — the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) project — aimed at building on TRIMING’s successes and addressing outstanding gaps to maximize the value of water resources.

Utsev noted that TRIMING, which spanned over seven years, successfully completed the Dadin-Kowa and Bakolori irrigation schemes, and made major progress on the Middle Rima Valley project. The project also fostered Water Users Associations (WUAs), boosted market connections for crops like rice and tomatoes, and attracted private sector investment via River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs).

Additionally, he mentioned the development of the 2025 Flood Outlook and Risk Management Strategy, which is designed to mitigate flood impacts on agriculture.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Wilson-Jack, called for stronger collaboration among all tiers of government to strengthen national food security. Meanwhile, Godknows Igali, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources, emphasized the need for strategic planning in response to Nigeria’s rising population and called for more efficient management of the country’s river basins.