Only 249 out of Nigeria’s 774 council areas have access to pipe-borne water, thus widening inequality, slowing productivity, and constraining economic growth.

Speaking at a multi-sector stakeholders meeting convened in Abuja by Lokoja Dialogues to mark the 2026 World Water Day, a water specialist, Norbert Shialsuk, stated that only 20 per cent of about 1,200 water facilities across the country are still functional.

He noted that this is essentially because the provision of water is an expensive venture that requires the involvement of both the public and private sectors, as well as development partners.

The event, which brought together government officials, development partners, diplomats, academia, and community representatives, focused on advancing national conversations on water security through gender and community-led solutions.

Held under the global theme: ‘Water and Gender,’ the meeting highlighted a central reality, noting that while water insecurity affects everyone, women and girls bear its heaviest burden.

Participants emphasised that addressing water challenges requires solutions rooted in lived experience, particularly at the community level.

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, in a keynote address, said water remains central to Nigeria’s development trajectory, supporting agriculture, health, energy, and community stability.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary at the ministry, Dr Deborah Odoh, the minister said: As we reflect on current realities, we are reminded that access to water is not only a development issue, but also a matter of social equity, one that disproportionately affects women and girls.”

On her part, the United Nations Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah, decried the inequality in access to water in Nigerian homes.

She said this disparity has created a big gap in opportunities and access to a good life among women.

Earlier in her address, Convener of Lokoja Dialogues, Mrs Polly Alakija, noted that water challenges are not abstract. “They are lived every day in communities across Nigeria,” she said, adding: “If we are to fix the system, we must start from the local and build solutions that reflect real needs and realities.”