The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, on Friday outlined the ministry’s achievements under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, claiming progress in dam construction, irrigation, water supply, sanitation, and flood control across Nigeria.

Speaking at the National Press Centre, Abuja, the Minister said the ministry had completed over 628 water supply schemes serving more than 450,000 Nigerians and provided irrigation access to 395,624 hectares of land, with over 1.6 million farmers benefiting nationwide.

“These achievements underscore our commitment to President Tinubu’s inclusive development agenda,” Utsev said. “Our ministry is not just building infrastructure; we are enabling livelihoods, boosting food security, and addressing public health through improved access to water and sanitation.”

According to the minister, among the flagship projects commissioned are the Rafin Yashin Multipurpose Dam in Niger State, Odo-Ape Dam in Kogi, and Amila-Otukpo Dam in Benue, all completed within the last year.

The Rafin Yashin Dam alone supplies over 3,700 cubic meters of water daily for domestic and agricultural use.

In the power sector, he said the ministry has concessioned the 14-megawatt Kashimbila Hydropower Plant and is finalizing work on an additional 460 megawatts of energy from various dams.

“We’re promoting public-private partnerships, not only to boost power supply but also to ease the transportation of agricultural produce and support rural industries,” the Minister said.

He said seven major water projects were completed, including the Biliu Community Water Project in Jigawa and the Kasuwan Water Project in Yobe, which now serves over one million people with 3.2 million liters daily.

Utsev added that efforts are also targeting underserved areas like the NYSC camp in Obau, Edo State, where a new water supply scheme was deployed following a ministerial inspection.

Utsev said that Nigeria has recorded progress in its “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign, with 14 additional local governments achieving open defecation-free status in 2025 alone.

“We are tackling not just infrastructure gaps but cultural practices that hinder safe sanitation,” he said.

Addressing Nigeria’s recurrent flooding, the Minister said the ministry has conducted detailed studies for the construction of the Dasin Hausa Dam in Adamawa to control releases from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

In Mubi, Adamawa State, a community devastated by floods last year, President Tinubu has approved funds for dam reconstruction and flood control projects, according to the Minister.

Utsev announced the upcoming Spring Project, a World Bank-backed initiative aimed at rehabilitating dams and irrigation infrastructure across 16 states. This builds on the success of the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) Project. Participating states include Kano, Gombe, Niger, Benue, Sokoto, Yobe, Kaduna, and others. The project will kick off by July 2025.

The minister said 24 water licenses have been issued to various users through the Nigerian Integrated Water Resources Management initiative, generating N4.64 million in revenue.

He added that the National Water Resources Institute has graduated several trainees, while agencies under the ministry, such as the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, continue to support flood forecasting and climate resilience planning.

“Our vision is clear — to ensure safe, adequate water and sanitation access for every Nigerian, and to build the infrastructure backbone needed to drive food security, jobs, and national development,” he said.