By Damilola Adeleke

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a comprehensive reconstitution of the management teams for 12 River Basin Development Authorities across Nigeria. The move is part of a broader strategy to unlock the potential of the nation’s water resources and drive sustainable development.

In an official statement, Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, confirmed that new leadership teams have been appointed for major river basins including the Ogun‑Osun, Upper Benue, Chad, Benin‑Owena, Niger Delta, Upper Niger, Lower Niger, Lower Benue, Anambra‑Imo, Hadejia‑Jama’are, Cross River, and Sokoto Rima basins.

Key appointments include Odebunmi Olusegun as chairman and Adedeji Ashiru as managing director of the Ogun‑Osun River Basin Development Authority, while similar leadership structures have been established in the other basins with experienced professionals overseeing finance, planning and design, engineering, agricultural services, and other critical functions.

President Tinubu has charged the newly appointed teams to pool their expertise and work collaboratively to modernize water resource management in Nigeria. He emphasized that these appointments are critical to transforming water infrastructure and ensuring that strategic investments in the sector contribute effectively to national development.

The administration expects the new management teams to work closely with local communities and relevant stakeholders, prioritizing projects that address immediate water challenges while laying the groundwork for long‑term economic growth and environmental sustainability.

This initiative comes as Nigeria seeks to improve efficiency and accountability in the water sector, ensuring that its vast natural resources are harnessed in a way that benefits all regions of the country.