2026 World Water Day: FG Prioritises Gender Inclusion in Water Access to Drive Sustainable Development in Nigeria
By Fatima Saka
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting gender-inclusive access to safe water and sanitation, identifying it as a key driver of sustainable development and national growth.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Terlumun Utsev, made this known during a press briefing in Abuja to commemorate World Water Day 2026.
Speaking on the 2026 theme, “Water and Gender: Where Water Flows, Equality Grows,” the Minister stressed that equitable access to water and sanitation is critical to improving the health, dignity, and economic opportunities of women and girls.
He noted that access to clean water reduces the burden of unpaid care work, increases girls’ school attendance, and contributes to better maternal and child health outcomes.
According to him, the Ministry has constructed and rehabilitated over 6,700 water schemes, providing safe drinking water to more than 32 million Nigerians, alongside targeted interventions such as solar-powered boreholes in underserved communities.
Highlighting sanitation efforts, Utsev pointed to progress under the Clean Nigeria Campaign, which has delivered over 5,200 public sanitation facilities and certified 162 Local Government Areas as open defecation-free.
He added that collaborative programmes with partners including UNICEF, UNESCO, and the World Bank—notably SURWASH and PEWASH—are expanding sustainable WASH services across 17 states and the FCT, while strengthening governance and gender inclusion.
In her remarks, Permanent Secretary Emanso Umobong, represented by Dr. Shola Adebiyi Tajudeen, underscored that inadequate water access disproportionately affects women and girls, limiting their opportunities.
Similarly, UNICEF WASH Manager Chiranjibi Tiwari described Nigeria’s water crisis as a gender crisis, calling for stronger gender-responsive policies and data-driven interventions.
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The event also featured the presentation of the World Water Development Report by Enang Momah, alongside goodwill messages and a book presentation. Activities to mark the day included a sensitisation campaign in Lugbe, Abuja, where students participated in hygiene advocacy, awards were presented for a video competition, and menstrual hygiene kits were distributed.
The Minister emphasised that sustained investment, stronger collaboration across all levels of government, and political will remain essential to achieving universal access to water and sanitation by 2030, describing World Water Day as a call to action for using water as a tool for equality and empowerment.
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