Nigeria, Hungary sign MoU to boost water management

Nigeria and Hungary have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in water management, innovation, and climate resilience.

The agreement, sealed between the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and Nigeria’s National Water Resources Institute (NWRI), Kaduna, was one of the major highlights of the Nigeria–Hungary Water Forum held Tuesday in Abuja.

The forum brought together government officials, engineers, and researchers to explore partnerships in sustainable water management and technological innovation.

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, described the MoU as a vital step toward enhancing technical capacity, fostering research, and driving innovation in Nigeria’s water sector.

He said the partnership would promote advanced training for Nigerian engineers, support joint research on water security and climate adaptation, and encourage knowledge exchange in flood control and basin management.

Utsev noted that the initiative builds on a previous 2016 MoU that established cooperation between both countries in water resource management.

Highlighting Nigeria’s growing water challenges caused by population growth, urbanisation, and climate change, he said the government under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda had prioritised water security and sanitation as key drivers of national development.

He added that collaboration with Hungary complements ongoing projects like the River Basin Revitalisation Programme and flood control works along the River Niger and other basins.

Utsev emphasised that Hungary’s expertise in water engineering, wastewater treatment, and flood management would help modernise Nigeria’s water infrastructure.

Hungary’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Lóránd Endreffy, described the forum as a milestone in bilateral relations and reaffirmed his country’s readiness to share its technology and experience.

He said Hungary’s strong engineering tradition and advanced water infrastructure made it a reliable partner in Nigeria’s effort to reform its water sector.

Endreffy also commended Nigeria’s determination to tackle water challenges through sustainable and innovative solutions.

The Nigeria–Hungary Water Forum featured technical sessions, case studies, and presentations on flood control, rural water supply, and climate adaptation strategies from various agencies and academic institutions.