The Federal Government has announced the completion of 10 dams and four irrigation projects across 10 states.
It also revealed that six irrigation projects were ongoing in five states, adding that the facilities were being developed to boost agriculture and support the nation’s quest for food security.
It disclosed this in the 2021 report of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources on the status of dams and irrigation projects completion from 2015 till date.
According to the ministry, Nigeria has a total of 250 medium and large-sized dams with a combined storage capacity of about 30 billion cubic meters.
“The total storage capacity of these dams is more than the projected future demand of Nigeria by the year 2030,” it said.
The completed dams, according to the report, include Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam, 500 thousand cubic meters, in Taraba; Ogwashi-Uku Multipurpose Dam, 4mcm, in Delta; and Adada Dam, 1.4mcm, in Enugu.
Others are Sulma Earth Dam, 4mcm; Gimi Earth Dam, 4.5mcm; Kampe Omi Dam, 250mcm; and Amla-Otukpo Dam, 1.5mcm; located in Katsina; Kaduna; Kogi and Benue states respectively; Amauzari Earth Dam, 25mcm, in Imo; Ibiono-Ibom Earth Dam, 0.3mcm, in Akwa-Ibom; and Kargo Dam, 2.3mcm, in Kaduna.
On irrigation projects, the report said four of them had been completed, while six others were ongoing.
It said irrigation projects in Ejule-Ejebe, 50 hectares, Kogi; Azara-Jere, 1,880ha, Kaduna; Sabke, 879ha, Katsina; and Sepeteri, 280ha, Oyo, had all been completed.
The ongoing irrigation schemes include Bakalori, 13,557ha, Zamfara; Hadeja Valley, 6,000ha, Jigawa; and Kano River, 15,000ha, Kano.
Others are Dadin Kowa, 2,000ha; Middle Rima, 4,333ha; and Gari, 2,114ha irrigation schemes situated in Gombe; Sokoto and Kano/Jigawa states respectively.
The water ministry noted that the aim of the Federal Government’s irrigation programme was to reduce dependency on rain-fed agricultural production.