The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a series of vital ecological and irrigation infrastructure projects aimed at mitigating future flooding and enhancing agriculture across the country.
According to the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Emanso Umobong, the approvals include the rehabilitation and expansion of key dams and irrigation systems, some of which date back to as early as 1974.
Dr Umobong stressed the urgent need for structural reinforcement and ecological remediation to address recurring environmental risks.
Some of these dams were constructed as far back as 1974. Ecological remediation is essential to maintain their structural integrity and prevent further flooding disasters,” she stated.
Three major contracts were awarded during the council meeting. The first involves the rehabilitation and expansion of the Tiga Dam under the Kano River Irrigation Project, valued at approximately ₦12 billion.
Other approved projects include the Challawa Gorge Dam irrigation scheme, estimated at over ₦7 billion, and the rehabilitation of the Kafin Chiri Irrigation Project, also worth over ₦7 billion.
Dr Umobong noted that the projects align with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places strong emphasis on food security and economic empowerment through sustainable agricultural development.
This intervention will benefit around 30,000 farming families and support irrigation across 50,000 acres of arable land. It will enable three farming cycles per year and generate over 300,000 job opportunities,” she said.
The projects include erosion control, watershed management across 16 local government areas in Kano State and its senatorial districts, and widespread ecological restoration to strengthen vulnerable landscapes.
This dam, which caused flooding in Maiduguri in 2024, will be rehabilitated under the Federal Ministry of Water Resources’ broader water management plan,” Dr Umobong added.
This contract has been approved specifically to prevent a repeat of that incident this year.”
A significant component of the intervention targets the Alao Dam in Maiduguri, which was responsible for severe flooding in the area last year.
