The Federal Government has begun nationwide consultations with state governments and other stakeholders to develop a National Water Compact aimed at addressing Nigeria’s persistent water and sanitation challenges and strengthening water security.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ consultation workshop on the proposed Nigeria National Water Compact.
Utsev said the initiative was necessary to tackle longstanding challenges in the water sector, including rapid urbanisation, population growth, climate change, environmental degradation, inadequate infrastructure, fragmented institutional arrangements and financing constraints.
He said the challenges continued to undermine the country’s ability to provide reliable water supply, sanitation services and productive water use.
“Water is at the centre of sustainable development. It underpins public health, food security, economic growth, environmental sustainability, energy production and national security,” the minister said.
The proposed compact is intended to move the country towards a coordinated national framework covering water supply, sanitation, irrigation, environmental protection, public health and climate resilience.
Utsev said the initiative was being developed in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and would provide a coordinated framework for transforming Nigeria’s water sector.
According to him, the compact would strengthen governance and institutional coordination, improve financing, expand access to safe and climate-resilient water and sanitation services, support irrigation development and enhance national water security.
He said the African Union’s adoption of the Africa Water Vision and Policy 2025–2063 had also provided impetus for Nigeria to develop its own national compact, while adapting the continental framework to the country’s specific circumstances and development priorities.
Utsev disclosed that a National Technical Working Committee comprising representatives of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, state governments, development partners, academia, professional bodies, civil society organisations and the private sector had completed the first draft.
He said the draft followed months of technical engagements, evidence-based analysis, inter-sectoral collaboration and consultations.
The minister, however, stressed that the compact would only succeed if state governments and other stakeholders took ownership of the process, given the significant role states play in delivering and managing water, sanitation and hygiene services.
“The National Water Compact cannot succeed unless it reflects the aspirations, priorities and realities of the Nigerian people,” he said.
Utsev said he had written to the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to secure the participation and commitment of the 36 state governors and the Federal Capital Territory.
He added that President Tinubu had also been briefed on progress made in developing the draft.
The nationwide consultations are expected to enable stakeholders to identify gaps in the document, establish state priorities, propose strategic interventions and strengthen implementation arrangements before the final compact is produced.
Utsev described the proposed compact as more than a policy document, saying it represented a national commitment to transforming Nigeria’s water future.
The framework is structured around three pillars: “Water for People”, “Water for Food Security” and “Water for Planet”.
He urged participants to submit practical recommendations capable of strengthening the final document and ensuring that its implementation delivered measurable improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
Stakeholders seek stronger coordination
The Acting Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Ali Dalla, said the consultation offered an opportunity to build national consensus on the future of the water sector.
Dalla said the compact should not be viewed as a Federal Government document but as a national framework owned by all stakeholders.
“The National Water Compact must not be seen as a document belonging to the Federal Ministry alone. It must be a national document owned by all stakeholders and responsive to the realities and priorities of Nigerians,” he said.
He identified population growth, urbanisation, climate change, environmental degradation, inadequate infrastructure, financing constraints and weak institutional coordination as major obstacles to sustainable water security.
Dalla said addressing the challenges would require stronger collaboration among Federal, state and local governments, development partners, the private sector, civil society organisations and communities.
He also called for increased financing, stronger institutional capacity, reliable data, innovation, appropriate technology and effective implementation mechanisms.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Salako, said water security was inseparable from public health and effective healthcare delivery.
Salako said inadequate access to water and sanitation affected hygiene, infection prevention and control, cleaning and other essential healthcare procedures.
“Water is essential for hygiene, infection prevention and control, cleaning, sanitation and healthcare delivery procedures,” he said.
He called for closer collaboration between the water and health sectors, noting that floods, droughts and other environmental pressures could directly affect water availability, water quality and public health.
According to Salako, the integrated approach adopted by the proposed compact recognises the links between water, health, agriculture, environmental protection and climate resilience.
He also advocated equitable water governance systems that would ensure vulnerable and under-resourced communities were not left behind.
“These priorities should be supported by clear responsibility metrics, sustainable financing mechanisms, effective monitoring and SMART performance indicators,” he said.
Salako stressed that universal access to safe water and sanitation could not be achieved by any single ministry, agency or level of government.
“No ministry, no agency or level of government can solely achieve universal access to safe water and sanitation. Partnerships anchored on coordination, accurate data, sustainable financing and a clear accountability framework therefore remain essential,” he said.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to working with relevant stakeholders to finalise and implement the National Water Compact.
“When we invest in water, we invest in health. When we invest in sanitation, we prevent diseases. Our health is on the table,” Salako said.
