In recognition of the importance of water to human existence, the French Government, through the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), said it has supported key the water supply projects in Nigeria.
The move it disclosed during the celebration of World Water Day, was in recognition that water is one of the most basic and important need to human life and development especially for cooking, drinking, farming and hygiene.
However, all these vital components of nature which depend on water, yet, this resource remains unevenly spread.
Against these backdrops, the French Government in a statement through its Press Officer, Onyinye Madu, in Abuja, highlighted its ongoing water supply initiatives in Nigeria.
It said that in 2019, over 62 million Nigerians, representing 30% of the population, lacked access to basic water supply, and in recognising the importance of addressing this issue, its agency, AFD has been actively funding water projects across seven states in Nigeria for over 15 years.
Besides, it disclosed that a total investment of USD 233 million in the sector, has been spent to support four Water Boards and Corporations in Kano, Enugu, Ondo, and Plateau states.
These interventions, according to the statement aimed to provide sustainable infrastructure and improve water services through streamlined governance and institutional strengthening.
One of these is the provision of financial and technical support to four Water Boards and Corporations by AFD in the four states of Kano, Enugu, Ondo and Plateau.
“For more than 15 years, AFD has been funding Water Boards and Corporations across seven states. Impactful projects jointly financed with the World Bank were successfully completed in Cross-Rivers and Lagos benefiting to over one million people.
“In Calabar and other Cross Rivers towns for instance, water availability increased from sic hours a day to 23 hours. In 2023, the first water project funded by AFD alone (33 million USD) came to an end.
“This support also goes to the 3rd National Urban Water Sector reform programme in Ogun State that contributed to increase and improve the water supply of Abeokuta’s population. A total of USD 233 million has been invested by AFD in the sector.
It however, promised that in the years to come, investment needed in infrastructure will remain important in the country, advocating that improving water services can be achieved through the establishment of water tariff policies, the implementation of metering systems which can increase the financial autonomy and technical capacities of Water Boards and Corporations.
The statement further noted that improving the long-term viability of urban water supply systems, are also key to lower the maintenance costs, while optimizing operating costs and future investments, pointing out that the rapid demographic growth of Nigeria will require decades of investments in the sector to provide high quality water to the population.
It therefore concluded that there is no doubt that the “Blue Gold” will remain a sensitive resource, either as a threat or as a source of prosperity due to the climate change effects that Nigeria is already witnessing, which no doubt would have a significant impact on the availability and distribution of water resources and its related human activities.