The federal government has commended the French Development Agency (AFD) for extending the National Urban Water Sector Reform Project from December 2026 to 2028.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, gave the commendation at the opening of the 2nd Semester 2026 National Urban Water Sector Reform Project Coordination and Review Workshop on Monday in Jos.

Mr Utsev, represented by Kasim Nafiu, the National Urban Water Sector Reform Project Coordinator, said the extension would enable participating states to complete their ongoing rehabilitation projects under the programme.

He said it would also give states more time to address implementation challenges and complete projects aimed at improving urban water supply.

According to him, the two-day workshop, themed “Improving Water Supply and Sanitation Service Delivery,” would provide an avenue for participating states to undertake an empirical review of project implementation.

He added that the workshop would enable the states to deliberate on their experiences, identify challenges, and propose solutions to help them achieve the project’s objectives.

The minister urged participating states and other stakeholders to utilise the extended project period effectively to ensure that the objectives of the programme were achieved.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, who declared the workshop, said the state government considered water security a fundamental pillar of modern governance and human development.

Mr Mutfwang, represented by his deputy, Josephine Piyo, said the government was committed to strengthening the institutions, infrastructure, and systems needed to expand access to potable water across the state.

The governor said his administration had so far injected more than N2.6 billion as counterpart funding into the Plateau State Urban Water Supply Project.

He said the commitment demonstrated the government’s determination to ensure that development interventions translated into tangible improvements in the lives of its citizens.

Mr Mutfwang said the state, through the Jos Water Services Corporation (JWSC) and relevant ministries, departments and agencies, was implementing interventions to improve water production, treatment and distribution.

He listed the interventions as including expanding municipal reticulation networks, rehabilitating the Yelwa Water Treatment Plant, and reticulating the Mangu Regional Water Scheme.

He also mentioned other projects, including the rehabilitation and construction of water infrastructure in Bokkos, Langtang North, Langtang South and Wase local government areas.

The governor said the state was also rehabilitating two major water treatment facilities, the Yakubu Gowon Water Treatment Plant and the Laminga Water Treatment Plant, with support from AFD.

He said the interventions reflected the government’s commitment to strengthening water infrastructure and expanding access to potable water across the state.

Mr Mutfwang urged participants to critically examine project performance, identify bottlenecks, and develop practical strategies to accelerate project delivery.

He also appealed to AFD to further simplify administrative processes and expedite the issuance of No Objection approvals for deserving project components.

The governor said timely approvals were critical to enabling states to meet implementation deadlines, minimise avoidable delays and sustain the momentum of project delivery.

He expressed appreciation to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and development partners, particularly AFD, for their continued technical and financial support to the water sector.

He said the success of the reform programme should ultimately be reflected in improved water services and expanded access to reliable, safe and sustainable water supply for citizens.

The AFD co-finances Nigeria’s National Urban Water Sector Reform Project (NUWSRP) alongside development partners to improve urban drinking water quality, expand supply networks and strengthen the financial independence of state water corporations.

The workshop brought together policymakers, water sector professionals, engineers, project managers, development partners and other stakeholders to review the implementation of the reform project.

(NAN)