Africa Still Falls Behind in Addressing Its Water and Sanitation Crisis — Igwe

A member of the Presidential Steering Committee on Sanitation, Nicholas Igwe, has stated that Africa remains far behind in addressing its water and sanitation crisis.

Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, Igwe stressed the urgent need for structural reforms within the continent’s water sector.

He argued that the persistent challenges in water and sanitation are mainly due to institutional weaknesses rather than a shortage of financial resources.

On the financing gap in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), Igwe warned that without creating environments that encourage private sector participation, African governments risk facing growing social and economic crises linked to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation services.

He noted that Africa’s water sector is trapped in a cycle of underinvestment, not because capital, technology or expertise are unavailable, but because governments have failed to establish the institutional framework needed to attract and sustain private investment.

“We need a platform that brings together the private sector, government agencies, civil society organisations, development partners and other stakeholders to tackle the sector’s challenges and develop practical solutions,” he said.

“The transformation of the water sector must mirror the progress seen in telecommunications, energy, housing and healthcare,” he added.

Dr. Igwe highlighted that no single institution currently possesses the political backing, financial market access and sector-wide coordination required to drive substantial change in the WASH sector.

He explained that political will without financial access leads to commitments that cannot be implemented; financial market access without coordination produces funding mechanisms that lack viable projects; and coordination without accountability results in agreements that offer minimal regulatory protection for investors.

“The platform we need must integrate all three components. No existing institution currently provides this combination,” he remarked.

He argued that Africa’s water crisis should not be viewed merely as a technological or financial problem, but as a structural and institutional failure that has prevented the delivery of available resources to communities in urgent need.