Sudan has launched a major dam expansion project as part of its efforts to enhance power supplies and irrigation projects. These are part of Sudan's plans to expand alternative sources of income following the significant loss of oil revenues following the independence of South Sudan last year.

Boosting irrigation and agricultural productivity, modernizing and exploiting the country's gold mining potential and exploring new oil wells are among possible sources of income being investigated by the Sudanese government. The expansion project at the Roseiris dam is part of the initiative to increase agricultural production and exports including wheat, fruits, oil seeds and gum arabic. Sudan's Industry Minister, Abdul-Wahab Mohammed Osman, announced the launching of the expansion project which he said will provide irrigation for 2 million feddans of new farmland in several states.

Officials believe that the expansion will increase the likelihood of more agricultural investment coming from abroad, including the Gulf region. The expansion will also provide for increasing the power output of dam by 50 percent to 1,800MWs. It will also help to provide for a more stable flow of water and improve the power supply capacity of the country's second largest dam at Merowe, north of Khartoum.