In a powerful call to action, WaterAid Nigeria has doubled down on its commitment to develop climate-resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) policies across Nigeria, recognising that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a daily reality for many communities.
Speaking at the 2nd Annual Conference on WASH in Climate Change held in Abuja, WaterAid Nigeria Country Director Evelyn Mere, represented by Head of Advocacy, Policy and Communications Kolawole Banwo, highlighted the urgent need to fortify policies and investments for climate-resilient WASH services. She pointed to recent severe flooding in Borno, Bayelsa, and Lagos states as clear evidence of this pressing challenge.
“Climate change is not theoretical—it’s affecting real people right now,” Banwo emphasised. “Flooding, drought, and saline intrusion are actively disrupting access to water and sanitation services, with profound implications for public health, economic growth, and human dignity.”
The statistics paint a troubling picture. According to the 2021 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping Survey (WASHNORM), only 67% of Nigerians have access to basic water supply services, leaving a staggering 44 million people without. Basic sanitation access is even lower at just 46%. These already concerning figures are further threatened by increasingly frequent floods, droughts, rising temperatures, and extreme weather events.
WaterAid Nigeria has outlined concrete steps in their 2023-2028 country programme strategy, including:
– Supporting national-level WASH policy development with enhanced climate resilience measures
– Implementing similar policy frameworks in Bauchi State
– Successfully developing robust climate-integrated WASH policies in Lagos State
– Piloting nature-based and solar-powered solutions in focal states
– Building capacity among WASH actors at federal, state, and local levels
– Conducting climate vulnerability assessments in Bauchi State communities
– Studying climate change impacts on coastal communities in Lagos State
Richard Pheelangwah, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, officially opened the conference by urging all stakeholders to examine existing WASH and investment policies through a climate change lens. He called for identifying gaps and strengthening policies to drive economic development.
“Creating a sustainable future with universal access to clean water, adequate sanitation, and proper hygiene requires collaboration across government, civil society, private sector, and communities,” Pheelangwah stated. “Strong, effective policies are essential for directing investments toward climate-resilient WASH services.”
The conference represents a crucial step forward in Nigeria’s efforts to safeguard water resources and sanitation infrastructure against the growing climate crisis.
