Nigeria’s water crisis worsens as climate and governance failures collide

Nigeria’s water crisis is reaching critical levels as a new empirical study finds the country’s freshwater resources under siege from rapid population growth, climate change, and widespread institutional neglect. Despite being endowed with extensive river systems and aquifers, Nigeria remains water-poor in real terms, with access to clean and reliable water increasingly elusive for millions.

Published in Water (2025) under the title “Not a Drop to Drink: Addressing Nigeria’s Deepening Freshwater Crisis” by Julius Irene, Bridget Nneka Irene, and Chux Daniels, the study presents a multidimensional analysis of freshwater insecurity in Africa’s most populous country, drawing on national survey data and systemic governance evaluation.

The findings outline a complex interplay of environmental degradation, infrastructure failure, demographic pressures, and policy gaps, all converging to heighten water insecurity across Nigeria’s regions. The study urges urgent investment, community-led reforms, and climate-resilient water governance to avoid further public health deterioration, food insecurity, and escalating social inequalities.

What is driving Nigeria’s worsening water crisis?

The research identifies five dominant and interconnected drivers of freshwater scarcity in Nigeria: poor water governance, climate change, rapid population growth, infrastructural collapse, and pollution. The paradox of abundance amid scarcity defines Nigeria’s predicament. Although the country receives an estimated 286 billion cubic meters of renewable freshwater annually, only 1% of it is sustainably utilized due to poor infrastructure, weak institutional oversight, and erratic rainfall patterns.

Nationally, 63.7% of citizens report experiencing water scarcity constantly, while 69.2% have suffered health issues from a lack of clean water. These conditions, according to the study, are particularly dire in northern and central regions, where rainfall is less frequent and borehole drilling is widespread and unregulated. The indiscriminate extraction of groundwater is rapidly depleting aquifers and causing land subsidence, threatening long-term water security.

The study notes a severe lack of investment in water infrastructure. Most citizens depend on informal and unsafe water sources: boreholes (53.8%), purchased water (30.8%), and piped water (just 15.4%). Climate change has intensified regional disparities: floods affect the south, while drought ravages the north. The 2012 flood disaster alone displaced over 2 million Nigerians and caused losses of NGN 2.6 trillion. In contrast, arid regions continue to suffer from prolonged dry spells, reducing surface and groundwater recharge and aggravating food insecurity.

How are climate change and governance failures interlinked?

The majority of Nigerians surveyed (76.9%) recognize climate change as a key driver of freshwater scarcity. The study documents that erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, and extreme events like droughts and floods are undermining Nigeria’s hydrological stability. These impacts are compounded by institutional inertia and governance breakdowns. A striking 77% of respondents agree that poor water management is exacerbating the crisis.

The Nigerian government has initiated various policy efforts, including the National Water Resources Bill and the National Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action on Climate Change (NASPA-CCN), but their effectiveness is hampered by weak enforcement, corruption, and fragmented responsibilities across federal, state, and local agencies.

Survey findings reveal a deep mistrust in public water quality: 53.9% of respondents are dissatisfied, citing contamination and irregular supply. Only 30.8% expressed any level of satisfaction with their water quality. More troublingly, access to reliable water is often mediated by class and geography. Wealthier Nigerians can afford boreholes, water tankers, or bottled water, while poorer communities rely on polluted surface water, exposing them to cholera, typhoid, and other preventable diseases.

The study also highlights the intersection between population growth and freshwater depletion. An overwhelming 92.3% of participants believe that population pressures are worsening the crisis. Nigeria’s population is projected to surpass 400 million by 2050, adding further stress to already-fragile systems. Urban sprawl, informal settlements, and limited piped infrastructure will compound the challenge unless immediate policy shifts are implemented.

What regional patterns and policy responses emerge from the data?

A comparative analysis in the study reveals stark regional differences in water scarcity drivers. North-central Nigeria exhibits the highest incidence of poor water management, while northeastern and northwestern states are disproportionately affected by climate and demographic stress. Southern regions, particularly Lagos and surrounding states, face chronic infrastructure deficits and contamination from industrial and domestic waste.

Correlational data from the survey show a strong link (r = 0.89) between inequitable water access and indiscriminate borehole drilling, and a significant connection between aging infrastructure and governance failure (r = 0.71). These feedback loops suggest a vicious cycle of collapse, where each factor reinforces the other.

Despite these grim findings, the study offers clear policy recommendations. First, it calls for urgent investment in climate-resilient water systems, rehabilitating old pipelines, constructing sustainable dams, and scaling decentralized water solutions like rainwater harvesting. Second, it advocates for inclusive water governance that involves marginalized communities in planning and oversight, breaking from historically top-down approaches.

Public education is also deemed critical. While climate awareness was moderate to high in the surveyed population, the authors recommend targeted campaigns to close knowledge gaps and encourage behavioral changes such as water conservation, proper sanitation, and community monitoring of borehole drilling.

The research stresses that water inequality in Nigeria is as much a political and social issue as it is an environmental one. The commodification of water - where access depends on purchasing power - has widened the gap between rich and poor. To bridge this divide, the study urges a rights-based framework that treats water as a public good and prioritizes access for vulnerable groups.