The Federal Government of Nigeria wants member countries to upscale investments in water and agriculture to unlock the economic potential of West Africa and the Sahel region.
This call was made by the Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, FNSE, at the closing ceremony of the National and Sub-Regional Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, Enhancing Agriculture Value Chain Investment and Irrigation in West Africa and the Sahel. The event, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), was held from Tuesday, 16th to Thursday, 18th September 2025, at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Nigeria.
The Honourable Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, emphasized that these sectors are critical to food security, peace, and regional stability.
He also described the Sahel as a region that deserves more attention to address water scarcity, climate change, and insecurity to food production, public health, and livelihoods.
Meanwhile, he drew attention to the shrinking of Lake Chad, which has lost some of its surface area over the past six decades, displacing millions of people, destroying ecosystems, and fueling insecurity, poverty, and migration.
The Minister stressed that irrigation investment is not just about agriculture, it is about peace, stability, and human dignity in the Sahel.
He highlighted Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes harnessing water resources for irrigation, expanding climate-smart agriculture, empowering farmers through Water Users Associations, and creating regional value chains to link production with processing, storage, and markets.
He further outlined Nigeria’s ongoing efforts, including the rehabilitation and expansion of key irrigation schemes such as Zobe, Makurdi, Kangimi, Irawo, Donga-Suntai, and Lower Anambra, alongside the integration of value chain development into water infrastructure to ensure productivity from farm to market.
Prof. Utsev emphasized the immense opportunities for investors, including over 10 million hectares of arable land across Nigeria and the Sahel awaiting irrigation and cultivation; a growing youthful population ready to drive agribusiness and innovation; and an expanding regional market under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Your investments will not only deliver profitable returns but will also contribute to peace, resilience, and prosperity for millions of people,” he added.
The Minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional collaboration, noting that the water and food challenges facing the Sahel do not respect national borders and require collective action to transform scarcity into abundance.
During discussions at the forum, stakeholders focused on strengthening the business environment to facilitate successful investments in irrigation, agro-processing, market integration, and trade. Deliberations also addressed barriers to investment, strategies for building strong partnerships, and opportunities for regional market integration.
Special sessions explored investment prospects in the fisheries and aquaculture value chain, livestock production, and key crops such as tomatoes, cassava, and maize, among others.
The three-day forum, which brought together government representatives, investors, development partners, and private sector leaders, is expected to produce actionable strategies and bankable projects to scale up investments in water resources, agriculture, and food security across the region.
The participating countries in the Forum included representatives from Italy, Nigeria, Ghana, Gabon, Senegal, Benin Republic, Cameroon, The Gambia, Niger, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Algeria, the Central African Republic, and Chad.
Signed
Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan
Director, Information and Public Relations
Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation
18 September 2025
