Water Crisis Threatens Nigeria’s Food, Energy Security, Says NWRI Boss

Nigeria’s worsening water crisis could severely undermine the country’s food production and energy supply if urgent steps were not taken to strengthen water resource management.

The warning was issued at the 12th National Water Conference held in Kaduna, where stakeholders highlighted the growing impact of erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, flooding and degraded watersheds on agriculture and hydropower generation.

Director General of the National Water Resources Institute (NWRI), Dr Abduljalal Dan Baba, said the country risks catastrophic consequences if it fails to invest in skilled water management professionals capable of responding to climate-related challenges.

According to Baba, the absence of a well-trained workforce to manage Nigeria’s water resources is already affecting agricultural output and energy generation.

He added that the situation would worsen without deliberate investment in human capacity development.

Representing the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Jamilu Abu, a director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation at the Ministry, assured that the federal government remains committed to improving access to safe and reliable water across the country.

He said President Bola Tinubu was prioritising policies and programmes aimed at strengthening water infrastructure and sanitation, noting that the administration is determined to deliver sustainable water solutions for Nigerians.

Baba also underscored the importance of international collaboration, disclosing that the institute recently signed Memoranda of Understanding with the Hungarian University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, to promote knowledge transfer and climate-responsive water management practices.

Earlier in his remarks, the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamali, urged the NWRI to reduce its dependence on government funding by exploring strategic partnerships and alternative funding sources.

The monarch stressed that the institute has the potential to drive innovation in the water sector.

The conference, themed: “Water for Climate Action, Food and Energy Security,” focused on the critical link between water availability, agricultural productivity and energy sustainability.

Participants also called for increased investment in hydrological modelling, climate-smart irrigation systems and early warning mechanisms to address the looming water challenges.