Irrigation in semi-arid regions of northern Nigeria is critical for sustainable agricultural production but often suffers from inefficient water distribution systems. A mixed-method approach was employed, combining field surveys with a proportional odds logistic regression model to analyse data collected over two seasons. Smart water distribution systems showed an average increase of 25% in system efficiency compared to traditional methods, achieving cost savings of $10 per hectare annually. The implementation of smart irrigation technologies significantly improved agricultural productivity and resource management in northern Nigerian farming communities. Communities should be supported in adopting these systems through training programmes and financial incentives for sustainable water use practices. The maintenance outcome was modelled as $Y_{it}=\beta_0+\beta_1X_{it}+u_i+\varepsilon_{it}$, with robustness checked using heteroskedasticity-consistent errors.