La Palabras can report that Nigeria battles rising food prices, climate-induced flooding and shrinking farmlands, hence, the need for increased funding and stronger federal support for the Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority (LNRBDA) to meet growing national needs.
In areas with significant agricultural potential in Kwara and Kogi states, the Authority is vital to irrigation, flood control, water supply, and environmental protection. Its infrastructure for flood control and irrigation supports year-round farming for thousands of farmers.
In 2025, the LNRBDA expanded dry-season farming in communities such as Shonga (Kwara) and Girinyan (Kogi), with projected outputs of over 10,000 tonnes of paddy rice. This contribution is significant at a time Nigeria is working to stabilise food prices and reduce rice imports.
The Authority has also deployed solar-powered irrigation pumps, cutting farmers’ reliance on costly diesel and aligning with national renewable energy and climate-adaptation goals.
In addition to agriculture, the LNRBDA keeps funding water supply projects, river conservation, flood and erosion control, and other initiatives that shield homes, public infrastructure, and farmlands from increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
Speaking during the 2025 World Rivers Day, Managing Director Engr. Olusola George Olumoroti noted that healthy rivers are economic lifelines that support food production, livelihoods and public health.
Despite these gains, inadequate and inconsistent funding remains a major challenge. Irrigation infrastructure, dams and monitoring systems require sustained investment to prevent project delays and infrastructure decay.
Supporting the LNRBDA is a strategic investment in food security, employment, climate resilience and economic stability. The question is no longer whether government can afford to fund the Authority, but whether Nigeria can afford not to.
LNRBDA provides quantifiable results that have an impact on regular people’s lives. These results will be part of a coordinated national effort toward food security, environmental sustainability, and inclusive growth if funding and policy support are sustained.
