NEC Approves NASENI’s Solar Irrigation Pumps for Nationwide Deployment

A push for food security and sustainable farming in Nigeria

The National Economic Council (NEC) has endorsed a new initiative that could reshape Nigerian agriculture: the nationwide rollout of solar-powered irrigation pumps developed by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

At its 152nd meeting, NEC gave the greenlight for the pumps to be mass-produced and distributed across the country in time for the upcoming dry season. The move signals a shift away from fuel-powered irrigation systems, with the government betting on solar technology to cut costs for farmers, expand food production, and strengthen food security.

What NASENI is building

The pumps are designed to replace petrol and diesel irrigation systems that have long been the standard in Nigerian farms. Rising fuel prices and inconsistent supply chains have made those systems costly and unreliable. Solar, on the other hand, offers a sustainable energy source that can reduce long-term expenses.

NASENI’s pumps come with more than just solar panels and motors. They feature:

• GPS tracking to monitor location and usage.

• Mobile dashboards for farmers to view performance data.

• Usage monitoring systems to prevent misuse.

• Pay-as-you-go integration, making them more accessible to small-scale farmers who cannot afford heavy upfront costs.

This combination of technology and affordability is designed to help farmers irrigate more land during the dry season, reduce operational costs, and increase yields.

The numbers behind the rollout

NEC has asked President Bola Tinubu to approve large-scale production and distribution of the pumps. Plans currently target between 50,000 and 100,000 units for nationwide deployment.

The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning has also been tasked with working out the funding model that will make mass rollout possible. The goal is to ensure units are ready for use before the dry season fully begins.

The stakes are high. Agriculture accounts for over 25% of Nigeria’s GDP and employs more than 35% of the labor force, according to the World Bank. Yet farmers remain vulnerable to seasonal cycles, climate shocks, and rising input costs. Access to affordable irrigation is one of the most direct ways to improve productivity.

Why it matters

1. Food security
   By enabling irrigation in the dry season, solar pumps can expand farming cycles, reduce dependence on rain-fed agriculture, and increase national food supply.

2. Lower costs for farmers
   Petrol-powered pumps are expensive to fuel and maintain. Solar reduces operating costs and shields farmers from fuel price volatility.

3. Environmental benefits
   Shifting to solar cuts carbon emissions, reduces air pollution, and may even open opportunities for Nigeria to benefit from climate finance and carbon credit markets.

4. Local innovation and jobs
   NASENI’s involvement ensures that these pumps are designed and built domestically, strengthening Nigeria’s engineering capacity and creating new opportunities in manufacturing and maintenance.

What remains uncertain

While the initiative looks promising, several questions will determine its real-world impact:

• Affordability: Even with pay-as-you-go features, will smallholder farmers be able to afford the units without subsidies?

• Maintenance: How durable are the pumps in Nigeria’s harsh farming environments? Who will provide technical support and spare parts?

• Logistics: Can the government and NASENI distribute tens of thousands of pumps across rural Nigeria quickly and efficiently?

• Equity: Will smaller farmers in remote areas have fair access, or will distribution favor wealthier and more connected groups?

These challenges are not new. Past agricultural interventions have often been slowed by poor planning, limited funding, and weak monitoring. For NASENI’s pumps to succeed, execution will matter as much as innovation.

A step toward sustainable farming

Nigeria faces the twin pressures of food insecurity and climate change. NEC’s endorsement of NASENI’s solar irrigation pumps is a step toward addressing both. If the rollout succeeds, farmers will gain a reliable and cheaper way to water their crops, food supply will expand, and the country will reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

Execution, however, will determine whether this is remembered as a breakthrough or as another ambitious idea that failed to deliver. The months ahead will be critical as funding is secured, production begins, and the first pumps are deployed in the fields.