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The Federal Government has requested a $500 million loan from the World Bank to enhance water resource management and improve dam safety across the federation.
The proposed Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) project aims to address the country's water security challenges and boost agricultural productivity.
The project focuses on institutional strengthening, irrigation modernization, dam operations and safety improvements, and project management.
The proposed approval date for the SPIN project is September 26, 2024.
This area will strengthen federal and state institutions responsible for water resource management. It includes developing national dam safety guidelines, training for water resources and irrigation management, and creating a comprehensive hydropower master plan.
Nigeria faces water security challenges, which impact water availability for drinking water, energy and food production, and are increasingly exacerbated by climate change, putting livelihoods and economic development at risk.
Harnessing water storage and dam safety is central to climate change adaptation and mitigation in Nigeria.
It is a prerequisite to improving water management for water supply, irrigation, and hydropower generation and offers protection from floods and droughts.
Nigeria has over 400 dams and an estimated total combined storage of 59 billion cubic meters. 46 per cent of dams are federally owned and are managed by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, through River Basin Development Authorities.
48 per cent of dams are state-owned and are managed by a state ministry. Many dams are incomplete and more than 50 per cent of the large dams built in the 1970s and 80s require rehabilitation.
This situation is due in part to institutions responsible for dam management, whether at the federal or state level, having inadequate budget, human resources and capacity to ensure dam management, operation and maintenance and non-adherence to operational manuals, where they exist.
The devastating 2022 floods, which caused an estimated $6.7bn in economic damage, underscored the urgent need for improved dam safety and water management.
