Nigeria is set to commence a pilot programme to irrigate 40,000 hectares of farmland in Adamawa State under the proposed Irrigate Nigeria Project, following discussions between the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer (PICTT) and US-based industrial manufacturer, Valmont Industries.
Chairman of PICTT, Dr Dahiru Muhammed, held discussions with the Omaha, Nebraska-headquartered company on a potential partnership aimed at deploying advanced irrigation technology and transferring technical know-how to Nigeria.
The pilot programme is expected to be implemented in collaboration with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF).
Under the proposed partnership, Valmont’s Valley Irrigation, a global leader in mechanised irrigation, is expected to provide world-class irrigation infrastructure while supporting the transfer of technology and expertise required to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in modern agricultural irrigation.
Valley Irrigation has more than 250,000 centre pivots operating across the world, with its machines accounting for more than 40 per cent of centre pivots currently in service globally. Its irrigation systems cover more than 12 million hectares across over 120 countries, while more than 146,000 connected devices form part of its global operations.
Valmont Industries, which has more than eight decades of experience, recorded $4.1 billion in net sales in 2025. The company operates 83 manufacturing facilities across more than 100 countries and employs approximately 11,000 people across 31 brands.
The initiative is also expected to support Nigeria’s efforts to domesticate advanced irrigation technology. PICTT is working with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), which is positioned to lead the adoption and localisation of the technology in Nigeria.
Muhammed is also exploring potential collaboration with the University of Nebraska and the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute on sustainable irrigation systems and water resource management.
The proposed partnership comes as Nigeria seeks to expand agricultural productivity, improve food security and promote more efficient and sustainable use of water resources through technology-driven farming.
The 40,000-hectare Adamawa pilot is expected to provide a platform for demonstrating the viability of modern mechanised irrigation systems while creating opportunities for technology transfer and local capacity development.
