Environment
FG To Revamp Urban Water Supply Nationwide
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to revamping urban water supply nationwide to meet the international target of Sustainable Development Goals (sdgs) on Water For All by 2030.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo stated this in Abuja at the opening ceremony of the National Retreat on Revitalising Urban Water and Sanitation Sector in Nigeria.
Osinbajo, who launched the “Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Poverty Diagnostic Report during the occasion, noted the positive efforts being made by the water sector toward improving the living standards of Nigerians in both rural and urban areas.
He noted that clean potable water, in addition to adequate sanitation, were critical factors for socio-economic development in the country.
“The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, places priority on infrastructure development including those of water supply and sanitation towards ensuring better life for our people.
“In demonstrating this commitment, practical steps have been taken with the launching of Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) in April this year and the recent inauguration of the Presidential Council on sdgs,” he said.
According to him, as the country’s urban population continues to rise, recent indices for water supply and sanitation access calls on government at all levels to redouble their efforts and work in synergy towards meeting the nation’s water supply and sanitation demands.
The report, according to him, gives an overview of the state of WASH services in the country, based on the number of data sources, desk reviews, and regional research to analyse service delivery in the country and assessment of the sector’s performance by the World Bank.
Reiterating the Federal Government’s pledge, the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu, said, “The council at the meeting noted with serious concern, state governments’ near neglect of provision of sustainable water supply and adequate sanitation to urban areas across the country.
According to Adamu, the retreat is one of the outcomes of the 24th regular meeting of the National Council on Water Resources (NCWR) held recently in Akure, Ondo State.
“The council resolved to hold a special retreat as soon as possible to fashion out appropriate solutions that could revitalise urban water supply and sanitation in the country.
The minister expressed displeasure over negligence by some states to take water supply and sanitation as a top priority in governance.
According to him, the constitution puts the responsibility of water supply and sanitation services on the three tiers of government following which the Federal Executive Council and the National Economic Council approved the National Water Supply and Sanitation Policy in 2000.
Adamu said the policy spelt out that the Federal Government should contribute 30 per cent to the water sector, the state governments 60 per cent, and the local government 10 per cent.
“It is worrisome to note that the laudable objectives of the policy have not been met 17 years down the line.
“The federal government has adopted several strategies in the past to implement the policy through counterpart funding of water supply projects, direct procurement and execution of projects or direct reimbursement of state expenses on agreed capital expenditure, but none have yielded the desired results.
“Access to pipe water on the premises in urban areas has declined from 32 per cent in 1990 to 7 per cent in 2015, ” he said.
Also, Mr Musa Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary, FMWR, observed was apt, coming at a time when the country’s urban water supply and sanitation sector faced serious challenges of widening supply-demand gap across the country.
Ibrahim noted that many urban dwellers had no access to potable water and adequate sanitation due to increase in the population as a result of rural-urban migration and dilapidated infrastructure.
The Ministry of Environment on Thursday in Abuja, advanced its National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, validating a comprehensive plan aimed at tackling climate-related challenges in the country.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Alhaji Mahmud Kambari, said this at the Stakeholders Consultative Workshop on the Development of the concept notes to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for NAP in Nigeria.
Kambari, who was represented by Mrs Victoria Pwol, the Deputy Director in the Department of Climate Change (DCC) in the ministry, said that the workshop is a collective resolve to confront the realities of climate change with purpose, strategy, and coordinated action.
“Over the past years, the Federal Government of Nigeria, with crucial support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has made significant progress in advancing the NAP process.
“As a nation, we stand at a critical juncture where climate risks ranging from extreme weather events to environmental degradation continues to threaten our socio-economic stability, food systems, public health, infrastructure, and national development aspirations.
“Through extensive technical work, we have completed a Climate Risk Assessment across all geopolitical and agro-ecological zones, developed an Economic Appraisal, an Adaptation Finance Strategy, and a robust Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.”
Kambari said that these foundational elements now guide Nigeria to identify priority adaptation needs and investment opportunities.
“Let me mention that we are at the tail end of this NAP Formulation Process and looking forward to the implementation phase.
“This workshop therefore serves as a strategic purpose to harmonise perspectives across key MDAs; refine project ideas into strong, evidence-based concept notes.
“It will ensure that proposed interventions align with national priorities and the investment criteria of the GCF and position Nigeria to competitively access the resources required to strengthen resilience across vulnerable sectors,” he said.
Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe, the Director DCC in the Ministry said that the engagement would enhance achievements by collaboratively developing bankable, climate-resilient concept notes that align with national priorities and meet the GCF’s investment requirements.
Abiola-Awe who was represented by Dr Jonah Barde in the Ministry said that the workshop represented an important step in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen climate resilience.
She added that the workshop would advance sustainable development, and mobilise the climate finance needed to safeguard Nigeria’s communities, ecosystems, and economy from the growing impacts of climate change.
Effective communication, transparency, and science-based risk assessments are the cornerstones of Nigeria’s approach to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
Mr Bello Bwari, the Director-General, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), gave the assurance during a media interaction in Abuja on Friday.
“Where there is communication, you reduce conflict. Effective communication is key, effective engagement with stakeholders is paramount and key to making Nigeria better.
Bwari said anti GMO’s critics keep participants and practitioners on their toes.
“We value them and we expect that their criticisms, suggestions and recommendations will make our operations in the entire spectrum better.
“Where we are not doing so well, we will hear from them, where we can advance explanations, we will advance explanations. Where they are not doing well, we will tell them. We will not run away from doing that.
“But I want to assure you that we are bold enough to face anybody who is not fact-based,” he said.
He reassured that sometime before the end of the second quarter of 2026 there would be a retreat where all stakeholders would be invited.
“And also, the impact we are bringing is going to be measurable by the end of 2026. And going forward, what we do by the end of 2026 will form the basis of our five-year plan.
“There’s a five-year plan which will start at the end of 2026. So, I enjoin the media to please report what you know as a matter of fact, not as a matter of opinion.
“We all have different opinions, but some of our opinions are not facts. From the quality of what I see on papers, reportage, I think largely I’m impressed with what the press is doing in Nigeria so far,” he said.
Bwari stated that Nigerians deserved to understand what NBMA regulates, why they regulate it, and how decisions were made.
“Part of my focus going forward will be strengthening engagement with the media, researchers, policymakers, and the public because regulation works best when it is understood.
“We are not promoters of any technology, and we are not opponents of innovation. We are regulators.
“But at its core, biosafety is about prevention, caution, and preparedness. It is about ensuring that innovation does not outpace safety, and that national development never compromises public health or environmental integrity,” he said.
He promised to uphold the law without fear or favour, communicate more clearly with the public and ensure that every regulatory decision was transparent, evidence-based, and accountable
“NBMA is not an advocacy agency. Our duty is to assess risks, enforce safeguards, and ensure compliance with national and international biosafety standards.I also want to emphasise that public trust matters.
He further urged the media to help Nigerians understand biosafety and biosecurity in a better way.
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