Water and poverty

In practical terms, about 70% of the 120 million people in Nigeria now live on less than US$1 a day. Despite the fact that poverty is widespread and severe, it is clear that poverty is highest in rural areas.

The poor are often concentrated in communities without basic services, usually cut off from the benefits of developments such as roads, potable water supply and safe sanitation.

A 1990 National Demographic Health Survey conducted by the FMOH and the Multi-Indicator Cluster Survey, conducted by FOS and UNICEF, reveal a situation that should give some concern to sector managers and professionals. For instance, infant and under-five mortality rate was put at 71 and 133 per 1000 live births respectively.

These deaths are attributable to malaria, diarrhoea and acute and respiratory infections, which are related to water, sanitation and hygiene and when combined with typhoid account for almost 70% of the child mortality and morbidity.

Other health threats from water and sanitation related diseases include guinea worm, river blindness and schistosomiasis. The water and sanitation coverage statistics under the Presidential Water Initiative indicate that average national access to safe water and sanitation is about 57% with State capitals achieving 67%, urban areas 60%, semi-urban areas 50% and the rural areas about 55%.

The Nigerian Government has recognised water as one of the major basic needs. The Water Resources Ministry is considered one of the 14 key government agencies relevant to the elimination of absolute poverty and the alleviation of relative poverty.

Consequently, Nigeria's Poverty Reduction Strategy Document - National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), identifies the water and sanitation sector as one of the critical sectors. Only recently, the Presidential Water Initiative: Water for Life, Water for People was launched.

WaterAid works to support government initiatives designed to alleviate poverty through mainstreaming water and sanitation in the NEEDS document, and the states' complementary SEEDS documents, and their implementation.

WaterAid Nigeria's primary focus is supporting initiatives that help poor and marginalised people at household and community levels to address their basic and immediate needs in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene, by constructing facilities and promoting hygiene and sanitation education services.