WaterAid says it is collaborating with other stakeholders to strengthen climate resilience in Nigeria.

Evelyn Mere, WaterAid country director, said this at a climate change conference in Abuja.

Ms Mere said the impacts of flooding, drought, and saline intrusion on water, sanitation, and hygiene services have affected public health and economic growth.

“WASH is not just about building stronger infrastructure but ensuring that services anticipate, respond to, cope with, recover from, and adapt to climate-related events.

“One of the objectives of this conference is to bring all stakeholders together to discuss, facilitate, and unlock the required funding needed to build the resilience of WASH facilities to climate change,” Ms Mere said.

Ms Mere also noted that collaboration among stakeholders would ensure cohesive and coherent planning, programming, and interventions to make WASH infrastructure resilient to climate change and its impacts.

Richard Pheelangwah, the permanent secretary at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, highlighted the intersection of climate change and WASH as a major concern, noting that climate change poses significant threats to these essential services.

Mr Pheelangwah noted that many communities are still at risk of waterborne diseases, inadequate sanitation, and compromised hygiene practices.

He stressed that the low level of water availability and access to safe water has serious implications for health, education, nutrition, safety, and the population’s overall well-being.

He also announced that the ministry, in collaboration with UNICEF, would produce a climate rationale for WASH services in Nigeria to identify various categories of climate risks.

Ngozi Abohwo, a director at the ministry, said, “There is a need to strengthen our policies and investments to make WASH infrastructure more resilient to the impacts of climate change.”

(NAN)