FG Launches Major Water And Hydropower Projects

The Federal Government has rolled out new commitments to large-scale water supply, sanitation, irrigation, and hydropower initiatives across Nigeria, aimed at fast-tracking progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6), which targets universal access to safe water and sanitation.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, announced the projects on Monday in Makurdi, Benue State, while opening the 8th International Water Conference of the Nigerian Institution of Water Engineers (NIWE). The conference is themed: “Sustainable Urban Water Development and Management in Nigeria: Innovative Solutions Towards Achieving SDG-6.”

Utsev highlighted flagship ventures under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that construction is ongoing on the 460 MW Katsina-Ala Dam and the 186 MW Bawarku Dam along the Benue River. He also revealed that the Datsin Hausa Dam in Adamawa and the Itisi Dam in Kaduna are currently undergoing concessioning.

“These projects are designed not only to provide irrigation, hydropower, sanitation, and clean water supply but also to boost revenue generation, enhance food security, stimulate tourism, and create jobs for Nigerians,” the minister said.

He further pointed to ongoing national programmes such as the World Bank–assisted Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH), the Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH), and the Clean Nigeria Campaign, which targets the elimination of open defecation by 2030, as central to sector reforms.

The minister praised engineers and water professionals for their innovative work and encouraged them to leverage the three-day conference to influence government policies, strengthen partnerships, and promote practical solutions to Nigeria’s water challenges.

Speaking on behalf of Governor Hyacinth Alia, Benue State Chief of Staff, Barr. Moses Atagher, pledged the state’s cooperation with federal interventions. He described water as a “fundamental human right” and emphasised the need for creative and inclusive strategies to address climate change–driven water challenges.