Insecurity in Zamfara State has severely impacted the World Bank-funded Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria project, raising concerns about the timely completion of essential activities.
However, despite these challenges, the Implementation Status & Results Report for the project, rates the overall performance as “Moderately Satisfactory,” according to Nairametrics.
The $495.30 million project approved in 2014 with a budget of $495.30 million, the project aims to enhance access to irrigation and drainage services, boost agricultural productivity, and improve water resource management in Nigeria’s northern region.
Zamfara State continues to pose a significant challenge to realizing the full potential of the TRIMING project.
Ongoing security threats have disrupted construction at the Bakolori Irrigation Scheme, forcing workers to operate only during daylight hours and limiting concurrent activities at various sites.
As a result, the anticipated rehabilitation of the Bakolori scheme may not be completed by the project’s closing date.
The report read, “The security concerns in Zamfara State remained the single greatest threat to the full achievement of the target at BIS due to security management constraints, which prevent works outside of daylight hours and do not allow for simultaneous works on several sites.”
These setbacks highlight how insecurity hinders infrastructure development and jeopardizes livelihoods. The TRIMING project aims to combat rural-urban migration by promoting sustainable agriculture, making the current challenges even more critical.
A total of $373.69 million, accounting for 75.45% of the loan, has already been disbursed for the project. The revised closure date is now set for January 31, 2025.
Despite ongoing challenges, significant progress has been achieved in the TRIMING project. The irrigation schemes have improved access to over 33,000 hectares of irrigated land, surpassing the target of 37,600 hectares, with rehabilitated infrastructure now in the hands of farmers, enabling agricultural production to resume.
Key components of the project are also on track, with improved irrigation reported in various schemes, including 9,583 hectares in the Kano River project and 5,547 hectares at Bakolori. Additionally, substantial advancements have been made in training water user associations (WUAs), with 839 associations established and operational, promoting sustainable water management practices.
As the January 2025 closure approaches, the World Bank and the Federal Government of Nigeria remain committed to the TRIMING project, aligning its objectives with national agricultural goals to develop 500,000 hectares of irrigated land by 2030.
The report noted “The Project continues to make significant progress despite the impact of the sustained security concerns in the north. It has a Moderately Satisfactory Implementation Progress rating.
“Per the request of the Federal government of Nigeria, the World Bank recently approved an exceptional extension of the closing date of TRIMING to January 31, 2025, mainly to enable the completion of repair works on the Tiga Dam, to complete the ongoing contract at Bakolori Irrigation Scheme and to support the preparation of the Sustainable Power and Irrigation in Nigeria (SPIN) Project.”
On September 26, 2024, the World Bank approved three new projects for Nigeria, totaling $1.57 billion in financing.
Among these is the $500 million Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Project, designed to help the country combat climate-induced challenges such as floods and droughts.
