African Ministers responsible for water, sanitation and related sectors have been urged to take proactive steps to drive inclusive and sustainable growth in the water sector.
Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Terlumum Utsev, made the call in Abuja while declaring open a three-day West Africa Sub-Regional Ministerial and Technical Committee consultation on the formulation of the First Implementation Plan (2026–2033) of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy.
Utsev, who also serves as Vice President of the West African Council on Water, said that although appreciable progress has been made within the sub-region, significant gaps remain in achieving universal access to safely managed water and sanitation services, as well as sustainable and climate-resilient water resources management.
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“This requires collective action by leaders and critical stakeholders across the region to address these gaps,” he stressed.
He described the meeting as timely and strategic, noting that it provides a platform for the West African sub-region to define actionable and result-oriented pathways, agree on regional priorities and set measurable targets aligned with the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Agenda 2063.
The minister identified key priority areas to include transformative flagship programmes, investment opportunities, nature-based solutions, integrated water resources management, trans-boundary cooperation, and inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services.
Utsev told delegates that the Federal Government, through his ministry, has remained committed to advancing water security, sanitation and climate resilience in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
“We are implementing reforms and flagship programmes aimed at improving access to clean and sustainable water while strengthening the socio-economic value of water resources,” he stated.
He listed ongoing initiatives to include the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme in partnership with the World Bank, the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH), and the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) project.
According to him, the programmes are designed to expand access to water services and optimise the use of water resources for national development.