Challenges in water resources and sustainability the nigerian perspectives

CHALLENGES IN WATERRESOURCES AND
SUSTAINABILITY – THE NIGERIAN
PERSPECTIVES
Presentation at a Forum on Action Plan ForAfrican
Ecohydrology Initiatives at the International Symposium
on Ecohydrology, Biotechnology and Engineering: Towards
Harmony Between Biogeosphere and Society on the Basis
Of Long, Term EcosystemResearch held at Andel's Hotel,
Lodz, Poland on 16-19 September, 2013
D. Bashir
National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna, Nigeria

Outline of Presentation
 Nigeria’s WaterChallenges
 WaterResources Management Reforms
 WaterResources Legal Frameworks
 National WaterResources Policy
 Draft National WaterResources Bill
 The UNESCOCategory II WaterCentre
2
D. Bashir: Challenges in WaterResources and Sustainability – the Nigerian
Perspectives

Nigeria’s WaterChallenges
 Hydrological:
 spatial and temporal rainfall variability
 Climate change
 recurring and prolonged droughts
 increasing desertification
3
Perspectives

 Socio-economic:
 high and rapid growing population
 increasing urbanisation
 increasing poverty
 inefficient agricultural/irrigation practices
4
Perspectives
Figure 1. Nigeria: Population growth 1963 - 2006
56
66
89
140
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
1963 1973 1991 2006
Year
Millionofpeople
Source: National Population Commission (2004), Population and the Quality of life in Nigeria

 Environmental:
 degraded watercourses leading
to flooding & erosion
 water pollution & infestation of
destructive aquatic weeds
 excessive and uncontrolled
groundwaterexploitation
 poorenvironmental sanitation
and hygiene practices
5
Perspectives

 Institutional:
 poor& fragmented watershed
management (role definition)
 inadequate coordination
(horizontally/vertically)
 policy inconsistency
 inadequate stakeholderparticipation
6
Perspectives
Large portion of Landmass
eroded in just 14 years!
Coastal
Erosion
1986 2000

 Financial:
 irrational pricing policies for
raw/treated water
 Lackof transparency and
accountability
 inadequate financing for
watershed protection
 inadequate financing fordata
management
7
Perspectives

 Transboundary Waters:
 Intra states riversystems
 Downstreamof shared
international waters
 growing concern: NBA,
LCBC, NNJC
 Regional efforts weak
8
Perspectives
MajorBasins

WRMReforms in Nigeria
9
Since 2000, there has been conscious efforts to reform the
watersector
Overarching National WaterResources Policy approved
and National WaterResources Bill drafted and
stakeholders inputs incorporated
National Environment Standards and Regulations
Enforcement Agency (NESREA)
Establishment of Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency
(NIHSA)
Establishment of Nigeria Integrated WaterResources
Management Commission (NIWRMC)
Reformand upgrading of National WaterResources
Institute (NWRI) to a Regional Status
Perspectives

WaterResources Legal
Framework10
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
1999
WaterResources Decree 101,
1993
RiverBasin Development Authority Act,
1992
National Inland Waterways Authority Act,
1997
National WaterResources Institute Act,
1985
Minerals Act,
1990
National Environment Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency
Act, 2007
Land Use Act,
1978
Draft National WaterResources Bill,
2012
National Integrated WaterResources Management Commission Bill,
2012
Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency Act,
2012
Perspectives

National WaterResources
Policy11
Guiding principles:
a) The waterpolicy shall be subject to and consistent with the
Constitution in all matters;
b) All water, whereverit occurs in the watercycle, is a national asset
and resource common to all, the use of which shall be subject to
national control;
c) The objective of managing the quantity, quality and reliability of
the nation’s waterresources is to achieve optimum, long term,
environmentally sustainable social and economic benefit for
society fromtheiruse;
d) There shall be no ownership of waterbut only a right (for
environmental and basic human needs) oran authorisation forits
use;
e) The planning and management of Nigeria’s waterresources shall
take place within a frameworkwhich facilitates awareness and
participation among all users at all levels;
Perspectives

Policy12
Perspectives
Guiding principles:
f) The management of waterresources shall seekto harmonize
human and environmental requirements;
g) Waterresources shall be assessed, developed, apportioned and
managed in such a manneras to enable all users to have
equitable access taking into account the sustainability of the
resource;
h) Waterquality and quantity are interdependent and shall be
managed in an integrated manner;
i) Waterquality management options shall include the use of
economic incentives and penalties to reduce pollution;
j) The resource base shall be protected against any kind of
pollution through application of the “polluterpays” principle;

Policy13
Perspectives
Guiding principles:
k) The operational management of waterresources and services
shall be decentralized to the lowest practicable level in
accordance with the established 8 hydrological areas (HA) as
the basic units of waterresources management in Nigeria;
l) Forthe purpose of improving waterrelated environmental
conditions, abstraction fees forraw watershall be charged for
the commercial use of it;
m)International waterresources, specifically shared riversystems,
shall be managed in a mannerthat optimises the benefits forall
parties in a spirit of mutual co-operation.

Draft National WaterResources
Bill14
Perspectives
Fundamental Principles & Scope
Constitutional provision – Federal responsibility forwater
affecting more than one State, s.2(3)
Covers surface waterand groundwater, s.1(1), 2(1)
Confirms public trusteeship of water– subject to regulation,
s.2
Incorporates principles of Integrated WaterResources
Management, s.1
 coordinated planning of: land/water;
surface/groundwater; upstream/downstream.
Embodies good governance principles: s.1(2)
 transparency, participation, accountability,
administrative efficiency

Bill15
Perspectives
Fundamental Principles & Scope
Priorities:
 basic human needs of present and future generations
(drinking, cooking, personal hygiene, s.1.(1)(a); s.66(2)
(a)
 environmental services (waterquality and ecosystems),
s.1.(1)(d); s.66(2)(b)
 otherpriorities to be determined at Basin level ss.64-66
Some of the principles: s.1(1)
 equitable and affordable access
 recognizing existing customary use
 watermanagement within riverbasin boundaries
 balanced social and economic development
 sustainable and beneficial use
 conservation and efficiency
 sets entitlements to use waterwithout a licence for
domestic use, livestock, fishing, personal irrigation…, s.3

Bill16
Perspectives
8 Regulatory Commissions Established on Basin
Boundaries

Bill17
Perspectives
8 Regulatory Commissions Established on Basin
Boundaries
Powers and functions based on National WaterPolicy (s2.2.5)
and Strategy (Ch.5)
 implement Govt. policies and exercise control overwater
resources in Basin affecting more than one State, s.17(1),
Schedule 1
 formulate a Basin WaterResources Management Strategy
promoting IWRM, s.18(1)(a)
 regulate wateruse & waste discharge through licensing,
s.17(1), 18(1)(f)
 regulate and monitoroperational rules of dams, s.18(1)(g)
 promote improved riverquality and pollution control,
s.18(1)(h)
 facilitate participation and resolution of water-related
conflicts, s.18(1)(m)

MajorImplementation
Challenges18
Perspectives
Inadequate awareness creation to carry stakeholders
along
Regulatory agencies lackrequisite capacities and
experience to enforce regulations
Weakresearch capabilities
Inadequate data and information forevidence based
advocacy
Inadequate budgetary provisions forcapacity building
of sectorpersonnel
Insufficient stakeholderparticipation in project
planning and execution

The UNESCO WaterCentre
Name and Location
Rivers
Ekiti
Osun
Lagos
Ogun
Oyo
Delta
Bayelsa
Ondo
Edo
Kogi
Niger
Kwara
Kebbi
Kaduna
Sokoto
Zamfara
Adamawa
AbiaImo
Anambra
Enugu
CrossRiver
AkwaIbom
Benue
Ebonyi
Taraba
Plateau
FCT
Nassarawa
Katsina
Kano
Jigawa
GombeBauchi
Yobe
Borno
Kilometres
250200150100500
19
Name:
Regional Centre forIntegrated
RiverBasin Management
(RC-IRBM)
Location:
Institute, Kaduna, Nigeria
(NWRI)
Perspectives

Cooperation with UNESCO
 The RC-IRBMwill:
 furtherstrengthen
cooperation between
UNESCO and Regional
Organizations
 address the objectives of
the five Core Themes of
UNESCO-IHP
Core Themes of UNESCO-IHP
Theme 1: Adapting to the
impacts of global changes on river
basins and aquifersystems;
Theme 2: Strengthening water
governance forsustainability;
Theme 3: Eco-hydrology for
sustainability;
Theme 4: Waterand life
support systems;
Theme 5: WaterEducation for
sustainable development.
20
Perspectives

Vision, Mission and Objectives
Objectives:
a) Constitute a facilitatorand synergetic
structure providing the articulation of
the different scientific and institutional
stakeholders at local, national, regional
and international levels, forthe
implementation of the IRBM
particularly by facilitating interactions
among and provide support to River
Basin Development Authorities or
Organizations in the West African
region;
b) Conduct and promote hydro-
informatics, integrated waterresources
management and socio-economic
research; and
c) Provide IRBMtraining and tertiary
education facility forwater
professionals and practitioners in the
Mission:
Promotion of effective and
efficient IRBMof the Member
States in the sub-region for
sustainable waterresources
development, in collaboration
with otherUNESCOWater
Centres
Vision:
To be one of the foremost
institutions forcapacity
building having responsibility
fortraining and research
activities, acquisition, archiving
and analysis of data and
dissemination of information for
sustainable IRBM
21
Perspectives

Programand Functions
Functions:
 Coordinate the implementation of
co-operative research projects and
studies with regional, federal and
local authorities, as well as private
sectors;
 Build and run networking for
information and knowledge
exchange capacity-building in
MemberStates of the West African
region;
 Organize training courses,
seminars, workshops and meetings;
and
 Produce publications and
Key Activities:
a) IWRMResearch and
Training;
b) Hydro-Informatics and
Related Services;
c) Institutional Framework
Development; and
d) Regional Cooperation and
Partnership
22
Perspectives

Functions Continued
IWRMResearch and Training:
 Catchment Management and Modeling
(surface waterand groundwater);
 RainwaterHarvesting;
 ReservoirManagement;
 WaterResources Assessment;
 WaterQuality Management;
 Climate Change Studies;
 Extreme Hydrological Events (floods and
droughts);
 Ecological Problems – erosion,
sedimentation, pollution and desertification;
 Coastal WaterManagement;
 WaterConflict Management and Resolution.
Hydro-Informatics and
Related Services:
Data management;
Website and Information
Networking;
Publications (Yearbooks,
Periodicals, Newsletters and
Bulletins).
23
Perspectives

Functions Continued
Institutional Framework
Development:
Water Laws and Water
Policies;
River Basin Planning;
Institutional Reforms and
Participatory Management;
Water Governance; and
Capacity Building.
Regional Cooperation and Partnership:
Organize specialized short courses;
Convene seminars/conferences/workshops;
Promote institutional networking;
Advise on appropriate regional policies and
strategies to advance the goals of IRBM;
Provide guidance forthe implementation of
international and regional Treaties, Conventions,
Agreements;
Promote collaboration with ECOWAS, NEPAD,
AU, AMCOWand otherregional and sub-regional
development organizations; and
Carry out evidence-based advocacy forjoint
management of transboundary waterresources.
24
Perspectives

Status and Regional Coverage
Regional
Coverage:
Legal Status:
The Regional Centre for
Integrated RiverBasin
Management is established
within the frameworkof the
relevant laws of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria as host
country, in line with
UNESCOguidelines for
establishing Category II
Centres
25
Perspectives

ThankYou forYour
Attention
26
Perspectives

Challenges in water resources and sustainability the nigerian perspectives

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