• Compact to harmonise water, sanitation policies from 2026–2030
• 1,249 communities in 176 LGAs identified as high flood-risk areas
• Over 1.6m farmers benefit from 154,000 hectares of irrigable land
The Federal Government is developing a National Water Compact for 2026–2030 to harmonise Nigeria’s water and sanitation policies, interventions and investments across the country.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, disclosed this on Monday while delivering a lecture titled, “Water Resources Management and Sanitation as Catalysts for Sustainable National Development and Security in Nigeria,” at the National Defence College, Abuja.
Utsev said the Compact would provide a coordinated framework for addressing Nigeria’s water and sanitation challenges, stressing that water security should be treated as a strategic national security priority rather than merely a development issue.
According to him, the Compact is anchored on three strategic pillars: Water for People, Water for Food and Water for the Planet.
He explained that the first pillar focuses on access to safe water and sanitation, the second on irrigation and food security, while the third addresses climate resilience and sustainable management of water resources.
The minister said the Compact was being developed through a whole-of-government and multi-stakeholder approach involving federal and sub-national governments, security agencies, River Basin Development Authorities, traditional and religious institutions, the private sector, development partners, civil society organisations and communities.
Utsev also underscored the importance of water diplomacy and transboundary cooperation, noting that Nigeria shares major water resources with neighbouring countries.
He said stronger regional collaboration was necessary to promote stability, economic growth and sustainable development.
To strengthen the country’s water security, the minister identified five strategic priorities, including integrating water security into national security planning, strengthening whole-of-government coordination, increasing strategic investment and sustainable financing, building climate resilience and national water intelligence, and developing the capacity of women and youths.
Utsev said the resilience of systems that sustain the population was fundamental to national security, stressing the need to protect water resources, expand access to safe water and sanitation, strengthen irrigation and improve preparedness for floods and droughts.
He warned that water insecurity, unsafe water, poor sanitation, flooding, drought and climate variability could trigger public health emergencies, displacement and resource-based crises.
According to him, such challenges could also intensify competition among water users, undermine livelihoods and increase vulnerability to climate-related shocks.
The minister called for the integration of water security into Nigeria’s national security architecture, stressing that access to safe water and sanitation was critical to public health, food security, economic stability and national resilience.
On agriculture and food security, Utsev said irrigation development was essential to reducing Nigeria’s dependence on increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns.
He disclosed that more than 1.6 million farmers were benefiting from about 154,000 hectares of irrigable land, adding that efforts were ongoing to expand irrigation coverage.
He also highlighted the roles of the River Basin Development Authorities in irrigation, agriculture, fisheries, rural water supply, flood control, job creation, agro-processing and rural economic development.
On climate-related risks, the minister disclosed that the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook identified 1,249 communities in 176 Local Government Areas across 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory as high flood-risk areas.
He advocated stronger collaboration among institutions responsible for water, agriculture, health, environment and security, as well as increased investment, effective regulation, reliable water intelligence, climate-resilient infrastructure and greater community participation.
Responding, Commandant of the National Defence College, Abuja, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, commended Utsev for the presentation, saying it clearly demonstrated the link between water security and national security.
Ahmed identified flooding, drought and resource-based conflicts as major security concerns, while calling for greater utilisation of Nigeria’s freshwater resources and stronger international cooperation in managing shared water systems.
