World Water Day: 113m Nigerians Deprived of Drinkable Water, Says CAPPA

A Civil Society Group, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has said that despite access to water being a basic human right, about 113 million Nigerians still lack access to safe drinkable water.

The submission was made by the Executive Director of Corporate Accountability & Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi, to mark World Water Day, 2024 themed: "Water for Peace".

Oluwafemi noted that the commercialisation of basic services like water and the privatisation agenda advanced by the World Bank bears significant neo-colonial undertones.

He hinted that there were also the risks of spurring higher water rates, sharp management practices in disregard for community needs, inequitable water distribution, and labour losses.

The underlying water access issues, he said, are further worsened by the ‘romanticisation’ of water privatisation in communities across Nigeria.

"This year's theme: ‘Water for Peace’ underscores the critical necessity of water for human survival and societal stability. In Nigeria alone, a staggering 113 million people suffer from painful hardship and crippling deprivation of water.

“This saddening neglect is not due to a scarcity of resources but rather a consequence of the profit-driven logic adopted by state authorities in managing water supply and amenities. The relentless pursuit to ‘commodify’ public resources at the expense of community welfare has led to the deterioration of vital public utilities and social services.

“While this plight is widespread across the country, the situation in Lagos State is particularly alarming for us. Despite the state’s reputation as a lodestar and mega-city, over 8 million of its residents or roughly 60 per cent of its population grapple with limited access to potable water,” Oluwafemi said.

He emphasised the need to reverse this trend of engineered water rationing through privatisation, citing the worsening consequences of water shortages to underprivileged communities.

Oluwafemi also highlighted the need for political will on the part of the government to encourage practices which make for equitable distribution of water while playing a participatory role in making access to water available for all.

He argued that government must strengthen regulatory oversight and implement proper reparation mechanisms in local communities affected by water injustices like contamination, scarcity, and inaccessibility;

In addition, he said that government must support and protect water sector workers by reversing layoff plans, enhancing water infrastructure conditions, and ensuring adequate wages and comprehensive training programmes to improve their skills and performance.

He further called for a fostering of a participatory approach to water governance that prioritises the voices and needs of local communities into decision-making processes related to water management.