The last three to four weeks have been a bit challenging for many households in Nigeria, with rising energy costs exacerbating the already complex economic situation.
For many middle-to-low-income households, the ongoing war in the Middle-East is creating a deeper hole in an already leaking pocket as prices of essential commodities gradually go beyond reach.
On Sunday March 22, 2026, the global community celebrated this year’s World Water Day under the theme, ‘Water and Gender – Where Water Flows, Equality Grows.’
But, for many Nigerian households water neither flows, nor does equality grow for the multi-dimentionally poor Nigerians.
For instance, a middle-aged father of two who earns about N130, 000 monthly told BusinessDay SUNDAY that he spends an average of N2000 weekly and N10, 000 monthly buying water.
“Every week I spend nothing less than N2000 to buy about 375 litres of water, mostly for bathing and other little things in the house.
“This is outside buying bags of sachet water for drinking and sometimes to cook,” said Adeyemi, disclosing that the recent hike in fuel price and incessant lack of public power made the situation worse.
He is however not alone in the struggle to get portable water flowing non-stop. This is so because our daily lives evolve around water, and that nothing could be done at home without water.
People need water to cook, bathe, wash, and even do basic tasks like flushing of toilets, which must be carried out to ensure proper hygiene.
“On the average I spend between 40 percent to 50 percent of my income on water,” Modupe Oni, said. She added that the power situation in her area exacerbates the water problem faced by residents.
“Eko Electric recently sent us a notification that our community and other surrounding communities within its service areas will be without power for about four months; coupled with the hike in fuel price, getting water to do anything is now eating deep into our expenses.”
For Nkem Ihentuge, an Owerri-based mother of four, the water situation is slightly different compared to Lagos.
She relies largely on boreholes for her water supply; however, complained about the hike in the prices of pure water.
Ihentuge said she used to buy a bag of water at N350, spending an average of N1750 weekly on sachet water; “but now it’s N2500.”
Amaka, a youth corps member serving in Port-Harcourt, said people relied on community effort for their water supply.
According to her, people contribute to buy fuel to power their pulping machine. “Since this fuel scarcity….I don’t think the people giving free water are still pumping water.”
Amaka said she buys a bag of pure water N400 from people who sell in buses, while those in shops sell at N500.
Public water supply
Nigeria and Nigerians cannot effectively address the current water crisis without a safe public water system that flows freely to the end-users.
“I grew up knowing public water supply running freely through taps in homes. Occasionally though, we had outages that could last from a few hours to a couple of days at most.
“But at a point in my adult life, the taps dried up- not for a few days as was the worst case scenario- but for weeks, months, and now years,” Moses Lawal, a Lagos-based social commentator said.
According to him, over time Nigerians have moved from public potable water supply, and have shifted to having boreholes in virtually every home. “Now we only remember those days with nostalgia.”
However, he added that the Lagos State government is currently working to reestablish public water supply across the state.
“The mentality of having ubiquitous boreholes as the standard in a city like Lagos is not only pathetic, but has attendant environmental and structural problems.
“The only snag now is that the new arrangement has to come metered, and residents must brace up to pay for water consumption in a prepaid manner,” Lawal said.
According to him, Nigerians cannot overemphasize the importance of clean healthy water in their lives. Lawal further said that having people pay for the water for consume is the only sustainable way to go.
“Personally, I welcome the idea of potable public water running in homes again even at a cost. We will only have to use water responsibly.”
Commitment to safe water
Joseph Terlumun Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, recently reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring safe and sustainable water for all Nigerians.
Utsev made this known during the 2026 annual water quality conference held in Abuja, with the theme ‘Water Quality in a Changing Climate: Policies, Innovation and Practice.’
He highlighted the increasing threats posed by flooding, drought, pollution, and rapid urbanization, stressing that water quantity and quality must be managed in an integrated and climate-resilient manner.
The minister disclosed that efforts are underway to deploy a National Water Quality Dashboard within the WASH Information Management System to enhance data-driven decision-making and transparency.
He also highlighted ongoing initiatives to protect water sources, including the development of mitigation and contingency plans to restore polluted water bodies, as well as engagements with State Governments to establish and strengthen water regulatory agencies.
Kenneth Eze, chairman, Senate Committee on Water Resources and Sanitation, stated that the National Assembly remains committed to supporting policies and legislative frameworks that will strengthen water quality management and ensure sustainable access to safe water across Nigeria.
Victoria Uwadoka, corporate affairs and sustainability lead at Nestlé Nigeria, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to water stewardship, collaboration, and sustainable practices.
Uwadoka, who spoke on behalf of the organised private sector, highlighted the launch of the National Water Quality Handbook, developed with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and OPS-WASH, as a key tool for strengthening standards and promoting best practices.
Global response to safe water
According to the World Bank, trade measures can also emerge when water scarcity becomes acute, as governments impose export restrictions or other controls to protect domestic water and food security.
It noted that trade policy can influence where water-intensive production happens. Accordingly, it stated that trade policy does more than move goods—it can actively influence where and how water-intensive production takes place.
By shifting production to water-abundant regions, supporting diversification in stressed basins, and enabling the flow of water-efficient technologies, trade policy can help align economic competitiveness with water security.
However, the World Bank reiterated that private companies also help in shaping global use of water. For example, Unilever sources raw materials from more than 90 countries.
According to the bank, the company has set targets to reduce water use in its factories and work with suppliers on more efficient irrigation and processing.
Aligning trade with water sustainability
The World Bank posited that reorienting trade toward more water-efficient outcomes will take time and effort.
It stated that virtual water trade is deeply embedded in global value chains, and sudden policy shifts can disrupt producers, traders, and consumers, particularly in developing countries.
This makes sequencing and design critical. Gradual, transparent approaches—such as phased disclosure of water footprints, basin-level sustainability indicators, and clear transition timelines can help steer trade toward sustainable water use while minimizing disruption.
Such approaches work best when paired with private-sector engagement and technical assistance, helping producers adapt and adopt better technologies to and remain competitive.
The World Bank Group can help governments align trade and water policy by identifying exposure to water risks through trade and supporting reforms promoting water efficiency—including supply-chain traceability, water-efficiency standards, and modern testing and certification systems.
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