• Urge overhaul of Nigeria’s water governance
• Makinde commits to sustainable water management, infrastructure renewal
Hydrogeologists and water experts have called for urgent reforms of Nigeria’s water governance framework, warning that without decisive action, climate change, poor infrastructure, and weak regulation could push the country toward a deeper water insecurity crisis.
The alarm was raised at the 36th yearly conference of the Nigerian Association of Hydrogeologists (NAH), an affiliate of the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH) and a specialist group of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), which began on November 2 and to end on November 7, 2025 at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan (UI).
The communique was signed by the NAH President, Dr Martin Eduvie.
The week-long event, themed “Sustainable Water Sector Development in Nigeria: Harnessing Innovation for a Water Secure Future,” brought together over 250 delegates, including government officials, academics, private sector leaders, civil society representatives, and development partners.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while declaring the conference open, emphasised the strategic importance of water to economic growth and social stability, reiterating his administration’s commitment to sustainable water management and infrastructure renewal.
The communiqué painted a troubling picture of Nigeria’s public water utilities, citing ageing infrastructure, funding shortfalls, vandalism, and weak cost recovery mechanisms as persistent challenges.
The delegates, however, noted that while private sector participation is essential to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation), inconsistent government policies, weak enforcement, and low investment incentives continue to hinder progress.
They also emphasised the importance of community-led water management, transparency, and indigenous knowledge systems, saying that empowering local associations and citizens is vital to building trust and ensuring long-term sustainability.
The experts, therefore, urged government agencies to integrate groundwater management into national climate policies using a Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus approach, as well as ensuring that policies in one sector do not undermine sustainability in another.
The NAH also called for a comprehensive reform strategy anchored on infrastructure renewal, private sector engagement, regulatory compliance, and public participation.
The association lauded the Minister of Water Resources, Prof. Joseph Utsev; Makinde, the government and people of Oyo State for their support and hospitality.
