Water supply and sanitation in Nigeria
The flag of Nigeria | |
| Data | |
|---|---|
| Water coverage (broad definition) | 69% (2015) |
| Sanitation coverage (broad definition) | 33% (2015) |
| Continuity of supply | not available |
| Average urban water use (L/person/day) | not available |
| Average urban water and sanitation tariff (US$/m3) | Flat residential fee of USD 3 per month in Lagos and USD 11 per month in Kaduna (2007) |
| Share of household metering | 21% in Lagos, 16% in Kaduna (2007) |
| Annual investment in WSS | Naira 82.5 billion (USD 0.5 billion) in 2010, corresponding to US$3/capita/year |
| Share of external financing | Mainly by external donors |
| Institutions | |
| Decentralization to municipalities | No decentralization to the municipal level |
| National water and sanitation company | No |
| Water and sanitation regulator | No |
| Responsibility for policy setting | Federal Ministry of Water Resources and State Ministries of Water Resources and 36 State Water Agencies (water supply), unclear (sanitation) |
| Sector law | No |
| No. of urban service providers | 36 State Water Agencies |
| No. of rural service providers | Water and Sanitation Committees (number not available) |
Responsibility of water supply in Nigeria is shared between three (3) levels of government – federal, state and local. The federal government is in charge of water resources management; state governments have the primary responsibility for urban water supply; and local governments together with communities are responsible for rural water supply. The responsibility for sanitation is not clearly defined.
Water supply service quality and cost recovery are low. Water tariffs are low and many water users do not pay their bills. Service providers thus rely mostly on occasional subsidies to cover their operating costs.
National policies and Initiatives encourages the participation of private sector and reform of policy at the State level. The national water supply and sanitation recognizes the importance of water supply and sanitation as it is central to healthy society and national development.
In interviews, Olukemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative Party, has shared that during her childhood in Nigeria, her family struggled with unreliable water and electricity supplies, which influenced her political views. She has cited this experience as part of the reason she values infrastructure stability and free markets, having witnessed firsthand the challenges of living without consistent access to basic utilities.