The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that 78 million children in Nigeria face the highest risk from a convergence of three water‑related threats. In a press statement released ahead of the UN 2023 Water Conference in New York (March 22‑24, 2023), UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief of WASH, Dr. Jane Bevan, called for urgent action to address the country’s water crisis. The conference, co‑hosted by Tajikistan and the Netherlands, is formally known as the 2023 Conference for Mid‑term Comprehensive Review of Implementation of the UN Decade for Action on Water and Sanitation (2018‑2028). Its proceedings will be summarized by UNGA President Csaba Korosi and will feed into the 2023 session of the UN High‑level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
According to a new UNICEF analysis, one‑third of Nigerian children lack access to at least basic water at home, while two‑thirds do not have basic sanitation services. Hand hygiene is also limited, with three‑quarters of children unable to wash their hands due to a lack of water and soap. Consequently, Nigeria is among the ten countries bearing the heaviest burden of child deaths from diseases caused by inadequate WASH, such as diarrhoeal illnesses. The country also ranks second out of 163 nations in exposure to climate and environmental threats. Groundwater levels are dropping, forcing some communities to dig wells twice as deep as a decade ago, while increasingly erratic and intense rainfall leads to floods that contaminate scarce water supplies.
Dr. Bevan emphasized the need to rapidly scale up investment in the sector, including from global climate financing, and to strengthen climate resilience in WASH services and communities. She called for more effective, accountable systems, better coordination, and increased capacities to provide water and sanitation services, as well as the implementation of the UN‑Water SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework. “If we continue at the current pace, it will take 16 years to achieve access to safe water for all in Nigeria. We cannot wait that long; the time to move quickly is now,” she said. Investing in climate‑resilient water, sanitation, and hygiene services is not only essential for protecting children’s health today but also for ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.
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