Main Article Content

Improving water resources management in Nigeria: policy imperatives and emerging realities


H.O. Nwankwoala

Abstract

Water is no doubt an essential ingredient for sustenance of human life and a vital component for socio-economic development. The water supply in Nigeria seems to be worsening daily as demands increase with rapid population growth, increased urbanization and industrialization, resulting in water crisis situation. Huge government investments in the water sector and numerous other programmes had been put in place to improve the water supply schemes by successive administrations. Despite these noble giant strides by government, potable water supply for all is still uncertain. It is sad to note, however, that at this stage of the nation’s development that there are varied and poorly coordinated groups and individual agencies participating in water supply programmes. These result in conflicts of efforts and waste of resources. In this paper, an attempt is made to look at some of the issues, problems and prospects of water supply in Nigeria. The paper suggests that water resources development must be viewed in a broader perspective, with adequate financial, economic, social, legal, political, technological as well as environmental considerations. Above all, the paper advocates that adequate water policy and priority is a vital ingredient for meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1118-1931
print ISSN: 1118-1931