Nigeria has significant renewable water resources; however, the current reality is that most of it is poorly utilized and managed, thus raising important sustainability questions. There are several concerns associated with the water situation in the country such as pollution, flooding, poor drainage infrastructure, etc. All these have dire water-poverty, socio-economic, health and livelihood implications for Nigerians. This discussion paper identifies the absence of a properly functioning regulatory regime in Nigeria’s Water Resources sector – with the ensuing pattern of open-access water use in the country – as a fundamental issue that needs to be addressed. It briefly maps out some specifics of the current situation within Nigeria’s Water Resources sector. Utilising a simple steady-state economic framework that shows the implications of open access use of natural resources, it goes on to explain the sustainability implications of the current water resource use-patterns in Nigeria. Drawing on the points raised, the paper concludes with a few high-level recommendations for water sustainability in Nigeria.
July 29, 2019
SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS OF NIGERIA’S WATER USE PATTERNS
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Public Debt-to-GDP Ratio: The ratio of Nigerias cumulative government debt to national GDP has maintained an upward trend indicating the countrys declining economic productivity and ability to repay
Nigeria Economic Update (Issue 22)
Power
sector analysis shows a decline in power generated by 15.07 percent from a peak
of 3,424 mw to 2,908 mw between May 8, 2016 and May 15, 20169. The
declining power supply is attributable to vandalism of pipelines and gas
shortages, which has a debilitating effect on power generation. As part of the
efforts by the Federal Government to improve power supply in the country, the
Bank of Industry (BoI) is currently funding intervention projects to provide
alternative source of energy (solar) in rural areas across the country10.
Since the major problem facing power generation in the country is gas
shortages, the government should make concerted efforts to combat vandalism.