Nigeria Launches Nationwide Consultations for Water Sector Reforms Amid Crisis

Nigeria is embarking on a crucial nationwide consultation process to develop a National Water Compact, a strategic move to confront the country's persistent water and sanitation crisis. The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, announced the initiative in Abuja, highlighting the urgent need for reforms.

The minister identified several factors straining the water sector, including rapid urbanization, population growth, climate change impacts, environmental degradation, inadequate infrastructure, fragmented institutional arrangements, and financial constraints. These challenges have severely impacted Nigeria's ability to provide reliable water supply, sanitation services, and ensure productive water use, affecting public health, food security, economic growth, and national security.

The proposed National Water Compact is designed to provide a coordinated framework for transforming the water sector. It aims to strengthen governance, improve sector financing, accelerate access to safe and climate-resilient water and sanitation services, support irrigation development, and enhance overall water security. This initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu's "Renewed Hope Agenda" and adapts the African Union's "Africa Water Vision and Policy 2025–2063" to Nigeria's specific needs.

This comprehensive approach moves beyond individual projects to create a unified national strategy. It integrates water supply, sanitation, irrigation, environmental protection, public health, and climate resilience. The development of the compact underscores the critical link between water access and public health, education, agricultural productivity, and household welfare, aiming to mitigate the risks of water-borne diseases and support essential services and communities.

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Water is at the centre of sustainable development. It underpins public health, food security, economic growth, environmental sustainability, energy production and national security.