FG Seeks States Ownership Of National Water Compact To Strengthen Nigeria’s Water Security
The Federal Government has called on Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to take greater ownership of the Nigeria National Water Compact 2026–2030, describing their participation as critical to strengthening the country’s water security.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, made the call at a nationwide stakeholders’ consultation workshop on the draft Compact held in Abuja.
Utsev said water remained central to public health, food security, agriculture, industrial development, environmental sustainability, economic growth and national security.
He identified rapid population growth, urbanisation, climate change, environmental degradation, inadequate infrastructure, institutional fragmentation and limited financing as major challenges confronting Nigeria’s water sector.
According to him, the Nigeria National Water Compact 2026–2030 is intended to provide a practical roadmap for addressing the challenges and advancing the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq commended the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation for initiating the Compact describing it as an integrated framework capable of strengthening collaboration among the water, health, agriculture, environment and climate sectors.
Representing the World Bank, Acting Country Director, Taimur Samad urged stakeholders to match their ambitions with firm commitments to institutional reforms, sustainable water-service delivery, operations and maintenance, as well as improved revenue generation.
