Nigeria's 5 Million Hectares of Irrigable Land Underused

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) reported that Nigeria is underutilizing five million hectares of irrigable land, which is critical for addressing food insecurity and increasing agricultural productivity. Adebayo Ok, a senior researcher at IWMI, spoke at a workshop in Abuja, emphasizing the need for reforms to create an enabling environment for irrigation innovation.

Nigeria has hundreds of irrigation schemes with varying capacities, yet many operate below optimal performance levels. The report indicates that despite the country's significant irrigation potential, it continues to struggle with food security challenges and low agricultural output.

The underutilization of water resources in these irrigation schemes is a major factor contributing to the inefficiency in food production, which could otherwise enhance the nation's economic capacity.