ABUJA, NIGERIA – The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s over 200 large dams to improve water supply, food security, dam safety and hydropower potential.

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‎The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Terlumun Utsev, stated this on Tuesday at the 2026 National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Committee on Large Dams (NICOLD) in Abuja.

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‎Utsev, represented by the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ali Ibrahim Dallah, described dams as strategic national assets supporting agriculture, hydropower, flood management and economic development.

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‎He highlighted the World Bank-supported Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) Project as key to strengthening dam safety, modernising irrigation infrastructure and promoting hydropower development.

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‎He also emphasised regular dam inspections, preventive maintenance, climate-resilient engineering and improved flood forecasting through the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA).

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‎He urged stakeholders to translate deliberations into practical recommendations for sustainable dam management.

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‎In his remarks, Permanent Secretary Ali Ibrahim Dallah, represented by Director Stella Arachie, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening institutional capacity, improving dam safety and promoting integrated water resources development.

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‎Earlier, NICOLD President Johnson Adewumi highlighted the committee’s contributions to major dam projects and professional training, and called for stronger private-sector participation, modern technologies and environmentally sustainable practices to address climate change, flooding and drought.

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‎The conference, themed “Sustainable Dams for Water, Energy and Climate Resilience”, brought together senior government officials and stakeholders in the water and dam engineering sector.