FG Flags Off $500m World Bank-Funded SPIN Project to Boost Food Production and Power
The Federal Government on Tuesday launched the $500 million World Bank-funded Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) Project, aimed at accelerating food production and boosting power generation across the country.
The flag-off ceremony in Abuja was performed by Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Joseph Utsev, who also chairs the SPIN Project Steering Committee. Utsev described the initiative as a strategic intervention to strengthen dam safety, improve water resources management, and modernize irrigation systems, while enhancing hydropower generation.
“Today’s flag-off represents more than just a development project. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria’s efforts to modernize irrigation, strengthen water governance, boost agricultural productivity, and improve the livelihoods of millions of farmers,” Utsev said.
He emphasized that the project aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes food security, economic resilience, and infrastructure development. With increasing climate variability, erratic rainfall, and rising food demand, Nigeria must move beyond dependence on rain-fed agriculture and invest in modern, climate-resilient irrigation systems.
The SPIN Project also seeks to strengthen institutions to improve project coordination and accountability, ensuring that water and energy resources contribute effectively to national food security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, represented by Permanent Secretary Mahmuda Mamman, highlighted the need for close collaboration among stakeholders to accelerate implementation. World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mathew Verghis, noted that SPIN builds on the success of the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project, aiming to rehabilitate approximately 14,000 hectares of irrigated land and attract private investment in irrigation development.
World Bank Global Director for Water, Saroj Jha, underscored the importance of improving water storage, pointing out that Nigeria’s more than 400 dams require rehabilitation to enhance their capacity to manage floods and droughts.
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