The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, presented the 2025 budget proposal and a detailed account of the 2024 budget implementation to the Senate Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation on Tuesday in Abuja.

During the budget presentation, Utsev stressed the ministry’s commitment to advancing water and sanitation projects, boosting agriculture, creating jobs, and mitigating floods and droughts.

He disclosed that the ministry has so far utilised 24.19% of the available capital funds from the 2024 budget for ongoing initiatives, including dam construction, irrigation projects, and solar-powered water schemes.

The minister highlighted notable achievements in 2024, including the completion of several dams and irrigation projects.

According to him, the ministry also made significant progress in sanitation, declaring 34 additional Local Government Areas (LGAs) open defecation-free, bringing the national total to 136 LGAs.

For 2025, Prof. Utsev disclosed that the Ministry and its agencies have proposed a total budget of ₦211.79 billion.

He outlined priority areas, including the completion of ongoing dam and irrigation projects, the expansion of the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program, and scaling up flood and drought mitigation.

Prof. Utsev thanked the Senate Committee for its support, expressing confidence in the Ministry’s ability to deliver on its mandate with sustained legislative backing.

Speaking during the budget defense, the Acting Chairman of the Senate Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation, Kenneth Eze, along with other committee members, called for increased funding to enable the Ministry to complete its ongoing projects.

Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan, Director of Information and Public Relations, in a statement, quoted the Committee as stressing the urgent need to prioritise dam and irrigation projects, which are crucial to addressing the country’s flooding and water management challenges.