Water, a critical component for human survival, is facing a great distress engendered by climate change, human abuse, among others.
In Nigeria and across the world, water is fundamental for economic growth, agriculture and food security, economic development, industrial growth, public health, national security and environmental well-being.
Over the years, concerns over the future of potable water have attracted insightful projections from world leaders.
Startling revelations about water crisis
Though water constitutes over 71 per cent of the earth surface, some of the predictions from former UN Secretary Generals are foreboding.
“The next war in the Middle East will be fought over water, not politics,” Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the sixth Secretary-General between 1992 and 1996 had said.
“Fierce competition for fresh water may well become a source of conflict and wars in the future,” Kofi Annan, the 7th Secretary-General of the global body between 1997 and 2006 also said.
“The consequences for humanity are grave. Water scarcity threatens economic and social gains and is a potent fuel for wars and conflict,” Ban Ki Moon, the 8th Secretary-General of the UN between 2007 and 2016 equally said so.
With vast water resources, including rivers, lakes and underground aquifers, Nigeria has an estimated total capacity of 359 billion cubic metres, but in spite of this natural abundance, millions of Nigerians still lack access to clean and safe water.
Inadequate infrastructure, weak regulations and rapid population growth have led to an unreliable and uneven water supply, forcing both urban and rural communities to struggle with daily shortages.
The crisis is worsening as public water systems fail to meet rising demand, leaving households and businesses increasingly reliant on alternative sources.
Is FCT any better?
In Abuja, the nation’s capital, for instance, the sound of drilling machines has become a familiar part of daily life. Residents, whether in wealthy neighbourhoods or informal settlements, are turning to boreholes as their primary source of water supply. While this provides a temporary solution, environmental experts warn that the unchecked drilling of boreholes is depleting underground water reserves, threatening long-term water security.
According to a 2024 UNICEF report, approximately 70 million Nigerians lack access to safe drinking water.
Again, in the FCT where the FCT Water Board is responsible for public water supply, many households have resorted to private boreholes due to unreliable distribution network.
However, weak regulatory enforcement has led to indiscriminate drilling, often carried out without proper oversight. This raises serious concerns about sustainability, water quality and the long-term availability of ground water. Albeit Nigeria’s abundant rivers and rainfall, poor water management has left many communities struggling to access clean water.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that each person requires at least 50 litres of water per day for drinking, cooking and sanitation, yet, in many Nigerian cities, even half of this amount is difficult to obtain. In rural areas, women and children frequently walk long distances to fetch water, further revealing the severity of the crisis.
In Lagos for instance, a city surrounded by water yet plagued by shortages, the bottled water industry is worth billions of naira.
Constitutionally, the responsibility for providing water has been shared among federal, states and local governments with private entities also playing a role.
The FCT Water Board insists that it has intensified efforts to enhance water supply in Abuja through increased funding, infrastructure projects and improved revenue collection strategies.
According to FCT minister Nyesom Wike, the administration has allocated ₦9 billion to the water sector in the 2024 budget with ₦2.2 billion designated for water treatment chemicals and ₦7.4 billion for operational expenses. He said that the funds would help to address longstanding water challenges in the capital.
A director of the FCT Water Board, Mr Tauheed Amusan said the ongoing Greater Abuja Water Project is aimed to extend potable water to 26 districts, including Gwarinpa 1 and 2. According to him, the project is a crucial step towards achieving universal access to clean water in Abuja.
To address inefficiencies in water billing and consumption, the board insists that it is exploring public-private partnerships to introduce prepaid water meters. Policy watchers say recent reforms have already increased the board’s monthly revenue from ₦178 million to over ₦300 million.
In rural communities, efforts to improve water access are also underway with 192 water supply schemes being constructed.
As of March 19, 2025, the FCT Administration has not publicly released its specific budget details for the 2025 fiscal year. However, the federal government has approved a national budget totalling ₦54.99 trillion (approximately 36.6 billion dollars) for 2025 which includes allocations for various sectors and regions, including the FCT.
Has National Water Policy redeemed the crisis?
It may be recalled that Nigeria established the National Water Policy (NWP) to ensure the proper management of its water resources. The policy advocates for integrated water resource management to minimise waste and ensure universal access to clean water. It also highlights the need for collaboration between the government, private sector and local communities. One of the key objectives of the NWP is to regulate groundwater extraction, particularly the drilling of boreholes; however, enforcement remains weak.
In estates such as NAF Valley Estate in Abuja, nearly every household has its own borehole, placing immense pressure on underground water reserves.
Residents speak
Dr Magnus Ezeh, a resident, expressed his frustration over the lack of pipe water.
“What do you expect us to do? Water is essential for survival and we cannot live here without it; since there is no pipe water, everyone has to find an alternative,’’ he said.
Available data indicates that in comparison, other countries have successfully tackled similar challenges. In India and Kenya, for instance, unregulated borehole drilling led to severe water shortages. In response, Kenya implemented strict borehole licensing laws and invested in large-scale water projects.
Ezeh said Nigeria could learn from such examples by enforcing stronger regulations and adopting more sustainable groundwater management strategies.
Beyond boreholes, many Nigerians rely on rivers, streams and rain water for their daily water needs.
Similarly, in an estate in the Kubwa axis, Mrs Amina Yusuf highlighted the inconsistency of public water supply as a major reason for drilling her own borehole.
“We used to rely on the public water system, but it became too unreliable; sometimes, we would go weeks without a single drop. Drilling a borehole was the only way to ensure that my family has constant access to water,’’ she said.
Regrettably, these sources are frequently contaminated by industrial wastes, inadequate sanitation and oil spills, making them unsafe for consumption.
UNICEF reports that approximately 33 per cent of Nigeria’s water sources are polluted, contributing to the spread of diseases such as cholera and typhoid. A major challenge in addressing the crisis is the absence of clear guidelines on borehole drilling.
The NWP stipulates that boreholes should only be installed where public water supply is unavailable and must be strictly regulated, yet, in practice, this policy is rarely enforced.
Need for regulation
The Borehole Drillers Association of Nigeria (BODAN) has expressed concerns over this issue.
Its president, Francis Uzoma acknowledges the need for water access but warns against the dangers of unregulated drilling.
According to him, “We understand that people need water, but drilling boreholes everywhere without proper oversight is not the answer.
“The government must implement a structured system where boreholes are permitted only in areas that genuinely require them, with strict monitoring to safeguard underground water levels.’’
Experts argue that instead of relying on unchecked borehole drilling, the government should prioritise investment in modern water infrastructure.
Gov’t committed to provision of water
The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has proposed a total budget of ₦211.79 billion for 2025, focusing on priority areas such as water supply, sanitation, and irrigation projects.
The minister, Prof Joseph Utsev announced this when he presented the 2025 budget proposal to the Senate Committee on Water recently.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to water and sanitation projects, agriculture, jobs creation and disaster mitigation.
Utsev revealed that 24.19 per cent of the 2024 capital funds had been utilised for ongoing dams construction, irrigation and solar-powered water schemes.
According to the World Bank, only about 30 per cent of Nigeria’s urban population receives water from public utilities, leaving the majority reliant on private sources.
All in all, stakeholders say with Nigeria’s population projected to reach 400 million by 2050, the demand for water would only intensify, saying subsequent water policies should place emphasis on effective water management, balanced use of water, access to clean water and long term water security.
NAN