NEC Endorses NASENI’s Solar Irrigation Pumps For Dry Season Farming

NEC Endorses NASENI’s Solar Irrigation Pumps For Dry Season Farming

In a determined effort to boost food security in Nigeria, the National Economic Council (NEC), at its 152nd meeting on Thursday, September 18, 2025, endorsed the deployment of solar-powered irrigation pumps produced by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI). The rollout is expected to commence ahead of the 2025 dry season farming.

The solar-powered irrigation pump, designed to replace the petrol-powered model, is central to Nigeria’s food security strategy. It is projected to increase agricultural productivity, reduce farmers’ operational costs, enhance incomes, and improve rural livelihoods.

The meeting, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Chairman of NEC. Council members resolved to notify President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his approval of the rollout. In anticipation of this, the Council mandated the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, to work out modalities for funding NASENI to enable large-scale production and timely distribution of the pumps ahead of the 2025 dry season.

Vice President Shettima commended the innovation, describing it as a demonstration of Nigerian ingenuity and global competitiveness.

“We must embrace innovation in agriculture. NASENI’s scaled-up solar irrigation pumps are ready for national rollout ahead of the 2025 dry season. These pumps replace expensive petrol-powered systems, lower farmers’ costs, expand dry-season cultivation, and even provide backup power for households. Their advanced features, including GPS tracking, mobile app dashboards, usage monitoring, and pay-as-you-go integration, prove that Nigerian creativity can compete globally,” he stated.

In addition, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, informed the Council that the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) briefed members on preparations for the forthcoming 31st Nigerian Economic Summit.