National Water Resources Policy.

The National Water Resources Policy aims to facilitate and enhance sustainable access to safe and sufficient water to meet the cultural and socioeconomic needs of all Nigerians in a way that will enhance public health, food security and poverty reduction, while maintaining the integrity of fresh water ecosystems of the nation. It seeks to eradicate water-borne diseases, poverty reduction and institutionalizing integrated and sustainable water resources management to meet the nation’s present and future water resources needs in all demand sectors, including human consumption, animal husbandry, agriculture, hydropower, inland waterways and industry while protecting the environment. The policy builds on the existing National Water Resources and Environmental Management Strategy (WREMS), which urges all stakeholders to ensure integrated management and development of water resources in the country.
The specific objectives of the Water Resources Policy are to: a) optimize the use of nation’s water resources at all times, for the present generation without compromising the existence of the future generations; b) foster Integrated Water Resources Management; c) manage the water resources for the purpose of eradicating poverty while enhancing and improving public health; d) improve and expand the delivery of water services in an equitable manner; e) foster the conservation of water and increase systems efficiencies; f) promote rain water management with sustainable drainage as a method of household water supply, drainage and flood control; g) prevent the over-exploitation of groundwater and protect its quality; h) promote national and international cooperation and increase the mutually beneficial use of shared water resources within Nigeria and with its neighbouring countries; i) facilitate the exchange of water sector information and experience; j) conserve the quality of both surface and groundwater resources while promoting the protection of the environment and associated aquatic ecosystems to ensure long term sustainability; k) develop dams as a means of mitigating flood and erosion; l) mitigate the impacts of climate change especially on desertification, flooding, coastal inundation and rapid drying up of lakes and rivers.
The policy seeks to increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters. The management of water resources shall be responsive to climate change resilience measures by adopting environmentally friendly practices and innovative solutions towards maintaining the balance between the environment, water resources and ecosystems. Specific strategies are foreseen to achieve this objective, for example: to enhance continuous climate change information gathering and sensitization of planners, stakeholders and the public towards information dissemination at various levels; incorporate climate screening and proofing into all water resources infrastructural development; develop more small-scale earth dams for expanded storage of raw water as adaptation strategy for water conservation, flood management and integrated water management; invest in programmes to upgrade canals and storage infrastructures to improve water conveyance, river training, and to reduce water losses; improve structural and non-structural flood and drought management; promote integrated catchment management approach for water resources conservation, planning, including rainwater harvesting, towards strategic adaptation at community levels.
A Monitoring and Evaluation System will be applied to measure both output and impact of water resources investments and programmes on the lives of the beneficiaries and the environment, improve accountability, ensure successful project delivery and judicious use of the nation’s resources.
The instrument also seeks to improve governance, institutional development, capacity development and the advancement of gender mainstreaming in the water sector. Regarding the private sector participation, the Government will proactively involve the private sector in the delivery of efficient and sustainable water services to the citizens through appropriate Public-Private Partnerships.