New Initiatives Aim To Improve Drinking Water In Nigeria’s Villages
FG, SHA Launch Pilot Rural Water Safety Projects
THE Federal Government, in partnership with Self Help Africa (SHA), has launched two innovative pilot initiatives to improve access to safe drinking water in rural communities across Nigeria. The projects—Dispensers for Sustainable Rural Water in Nigeria (DiSuRWIN) and Optimising the Benefits of Inline Chlorination in Nigeria (OPTIC)—were unveiled during a National Stakeholders’ Inception Workshop in Abuja on Monday.
The workshop brought together representatives from ministries, development partners, civil society, and the private sector to agree on collaborative implementation frameworks.
Represented by Mr. Habu Jamilu, Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, highlighted the urgent need for these interventions. While about 67 per cent of Nigerians have access to basic drinking water, only 21.7 per cent enjoy safely managed water. Contaminated water at the source or point of use, especially in rural areas, poses a serious public health risk.
How the Projects Work
DiSuRWIN will deploy chlorine dispensers at strategic points in rural communities, ensuring consistent disinfection. OPTIC, meanwhile, will test inline chlorination systems integrated directly into water supply infrastructure. Both initiatives align with Nigeria’s National Framework for Drinking Water Safety and the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality.
Mr. Dorgu Ebiye, Development Consultant for SHA, explained that the DiSuRWIN pilot in Garin Malam and Danbatta LGAs of Kano State will install 550 chlorine dispensers, reaching about 110,000 people in the first phase. The project will adopt a self-sustaining model, with professional maintenance, monitoring, and community-led chlorine dosing.
Partnerships and Sustainability
The projects will work closely with local health institutions, the Ministry of Health, and Rural Water Supply Agencies to ensure long-term sustainability. Utsev emphasised that strong partnerships among government, development partners, civil society, and the private sector are essential to lasting improvements in water safety.
The 18-month DiSuRWIN pilot has a budget of about $721,995, while OPTIC will test inline chlorination in select communities in Kano and Cross River states.
