- ….Stakeholders urge sweeping structural reforms
By Stanley Onyekwere
A massive €300 million investment portfolio from the French Development Agency (AFD) is currently targeting Nigeria’s critical water infrastructure, but international backers warn that the funding will go to waste without sweeping structural reforms and enhanced sector governance.
The multi-million euro intervention—currently being deployed across Kano, Enugu, Plateau, and Ondo states—aims to build robust physical infrastructure and provide technical assistance to state-level utilities.
However, speaking at a two-day peer-learning workshop in Abuja, AFD Country Director, Jacky Amprou made it clear that throwing money at the problem is not enough to guarantee long-term sustainability.
While the €300 million represents a major lifeline for Nigeria’s parched water sector, the AFD is leveraging the funding to demand a shift in how state water boards operate.
“We are financing many investments, but we want to discuss also with the different states the governance of the water sector. That is a main takeaway of these two days,” Amprou stated.
With political campaign seasons approaching, Amprou urged local and state governments to capitalize on the current funding timelines to show tangible deliverables, focusing on two key pillars.
“ Ensuring the €300 million physically translates into pipes, treatment plants, and taps on the ground.
“ Transforming state water boards into self-sustaining entities through cost-recovery models and optimized asset management,” he stated.
The urgent need for both the €300 million capital injection and the structural reforms advocated by the AFD was underscored by stark realities shared by state officials at the summit.
The disparities across the federation highlight why funding must be paired with better management:
Ultimately, the AFD’s €300 million portfolio is designed to act as a catalyst rather than a permanent dependency.
To counter localized disruptions—such as Kaduna’s infrastructure damage—and to rescue states like Nasarawa from near-zero coverage, the AFD is pushing for strict adherence to international success stories.
For Nigerian states to permanently secure clean water access, local governments must transition away from subsidized failure and toward financially viable water boards capable of managing and protecting their multi-million euro infrastructure independently.
One of the participants from Nasarawa State, Madawa Absolom, Permanent Secretary for the State Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, revealed a critical situation in the state capital, Lafia, where urban water supply coverage sits at a dismal 2%.
This, he noted has forced a widespread, non-optimal reliance on private boreholes.
Absolom also noted that Nasarawa faces a severe public health challenge, with a 46% Open Defecation Free (ODF) deficit—ranking among the worst in the country—which directly threatens local water safety.
Another participant from Kaduna State, representing the Kaduna State Water Corporation, Director of Operations Engineer Aminu Mu’azu reported that while urban water supply reaches about 60% of dwellers, municipal progress is consistently undermined by a lack of inter-agency synergy.
He noted that ongoing road construction contracts frequently result in contractors exhuming or destroying vital water pipes and electrical connections.
However, to counter localized disruptions and ensure that state water boards become financially self-sustaining, the AFD is pushing for an emphasis on cost recovery models and optimized asset management.
