By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – NIGERIA is leading a renewed regional push to strengthen water security and sanitation systems as West African stakeholders meet in Abuja to shape a 2026–2033 implementation plan under Africa’s long-term water policy framework.

Speaking at the opening of the event on Tuesday, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, said the meeting, tagged “West Africa Sub-regional Ministerial/ Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Consultation on the Formulation of First Implementation Plan (2026-2033) OF THE AFRICA WATER VISION 2063 AND POLICY (AWVP63)”, comes at a critical moment marked by rapid urbanisation, climate pressure and rising demand across key sectors.

He said the forum offers West Africa a strategic platform to define priorities and contribute to the first implementation plan of the African Water Mission 2063, noting that progress in water and sanitation across the continent remains uneven and insufficient.

“This landmark achievement provides a bold, transformative, and forward-looking framework that positions water security and sanitation as a central pillar for achieving Africa’s long-term development aspirations under Agenda 2063. Water is a key driver, as we all know, for development, socio-economic well-being of our continent and global-wise,” he said.

Utsev stressed the need for harmonised policies, stronger financing frameworks and clear monitoring systems, alongside investment in flagship programmes such as integrated water resource management, transboundary cooperation and inclusive WASH services.

He added that Nigeria is advancing reforms and programmes, including rural water access initiatives, sanitation campaigns and irrigation projects, while pushing alignment of national strategies with continental goals to unlock financing and improve service delivery.

Director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy at the African Union Commission, Nyambe Harsen Nyambe, highlighted growing threats to water quality across Africa, warning that pollution and poor resource management continue to undermine supply.

He emphasised the need to protect groundwater, strengthen cooperation among neighbouring countries and promote integrated water management to address increasing pressure on shared resources. “Obviously, we need to ensure that the water is not compromised. There are a lot of pollutants that we contaminate in our water across the continent,” he said.

He added that sustainable water management is central to peace, integration and economic growth, urging countries to act collectively in tackling water-related challenges.

Officer in Charge of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), Nelson Gomonda, described the adoption of the African Water Vision and Policy as a major milestone that elevates water and sanitation to the top of the continent’s agenda for the first time since 2008.

He said the current consultation is focused on developing an actionable, evidence-based implementation plan to meet 2033 targets, while positioning Africa to shape global discussions ahead of upcoming international water forums.

Gomonda added that African countries are increasingly playing leading roles in global water governance, stressing that collaboration among member states will be key to delivering a coherent and effective plan.