Background

Only 0.02% of Nigeria’s 263.7 billion cubic metres surface water potential and 51.9 billion cubic metres ground water potential is currently used for irrigation purposes; while of the 31 billion cubic metres in about 200 dams across the country, only 18% is effectively utilised. Nigeria thus grapples with water supply.

Past Reform and Achievements

The Federal Ministry of Water Resources was re-established in 2010, and an emergency meeting of the National Council on Water Resources held to review critical issues affecting the sector with a view to developing appropriate strategies for water sector transformation in the country. Over the years, a set of policies and strategies that have been developed and implemented, include the National Water Resources Policy, National Water Resources Master Plan, Water Supply and Sanitation Policy, Irrigation and Drainage Policy, Dam Operation and Maintenance Policy, Water Resources Infrastructure Operation and Maintenance Policy, National Water Resources Law.

Nine dams were completed by the end of 2012, in a process that created about 125,000 jobs. The government deployed 10 irrigation projects for the 2012 crop production and the rehabilitation of 1,000 dysfunctional hand pumps in 18 states across the country; while seeing to the substantial completion of the following water projects: Northern Ishan Water Supply projects in Edo State; Mangu Water Treatment Plant in Plateau State; Greater Makurdi Water Supply Scheme in collaboration with Benue State. Access to potable water has improved from 58% to 65% coverage, while access to improved sanitation facilities has risen from 32% to 41%. Land area under irrigation has increased by more than 31,000 hectares, to increase the domestic food production capacity.

Challenges and Next Steps

The means to acquire, collate, manage, and disseminate hydrological, hydro-meteorological, and hydro-geological information for each of the river basins in Nigeria should be established. The nature and level of further investments needed in the sector should be outlined, and with appropriate incentives the private sector encouraged to participate in the sector. Power supply should be improved to enhance efficiency in the water sector.