The World Bank has granted a $500 million loan to support the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) project, which aims to tackle climate-induced challenges.
Chakib Jenane, the World Bank’s Regional Director of Sustainable Infrastructure Development for West and Central Africa, made the announcement during a visit to the Water Resources and Sanitation Minister in Abuja on Thursday. He revealed that the SPIN project was approved during the World Bank’s Board meeting on September 26 and is scheduled to commence in January 2025.
According to Jenane, the project is designed to address climate-related issues, such as floods and droughts, by enhancing dam safety, improving water resource management, and expanding irrigation services.
He noted that the initiative would benefit approximately 950,000 people, including farmers and livestock breeders. Jenane stressed the importance of Nigeria continuing preparations to meet the remaining conditions to ensure the project is effective by the target date in January 2025.
Additionally, the World Bank team provided an update on the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project, which is nearing completion, as well as on the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (SURWASH) programme. They underscored the necessity of involving more states in this initiative.
Jenane encouraged the ministry to consider establishing a National WASH Fund, a key objective under the SURWASH programme’s Disbursement Linked Indicator (DLI) 1.
Minister Prof. Joseph Utsev expressed gratitude to the bank for its ongoing support of Nigeria’s development, particularly in sustainable infrastructure and water resource management. He assured the delegation that the Nigerian government would provide the necessary counterpart funding to ensure the successful implementation of all World Bank-backed projects. Utsev also highlighted the importance of completing the TRIMING project on schedule and reiterated the ministry’s commitment to the January 2025 deadline.
Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Dr. Bello Goronyo, also thanked the World Bank for the approval of the SPIN project and reiterated the ministry’s commitment to ensuring its success through collaborative efforts.
