The Federal Government has declared the Ikom Dam in Cross River State a strategic national asset, underscoring its importance for water supply, irrigation, power and food security.
Officials said the dam and its associated Boki Ikom Irrigation Project are central to plans to open up more than 2,000 hectares of arable land for large scale, commercially viable farming in the region. The Cross River Basin Development Authority described the scheme as a key intervention that can attract private and foreign investment and boost agro industrial value chains.
By granting the “strategic asset” status, the government aims to prioritise funding, maintenance and security for the dam and related infrastructure. The move aligns with a wider policy shift that treats major dams and irrigation projects as critical to national development, climate resilience and rural employment.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has already indicated that a significant share of its 2026 budget will go into completing and safeguarding ongoing dam and irrigation projects nationwide. Lawmakers on the House Committee on Water Resources have also resolved to carry out oversight visits to major schemes to ensure value for money and timely delivery.
Authorities say maximising the potential of Ikom Dam will support irrigation farming, stabilise local water supply and, in the medium term, enable small scale hydropower projects that can strengthen energy access in surrounding communities.
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