Nigeria must treat water as security issue — Minister

The Federal Government has called for water security to be incorporated into Nigeria’s national security strategy, warning that flooding, drought, poor sanitation and competition over water resources could worsen conflicts and destabilise communities.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, made the call on Monday while speaking at the National Defence College in Abuja.

In a lecture titled “Water Resources Management and Sanitation as Catalysts for Sustainable National Development and Security in Nigeria,” Utsev argued that water could no longer be viewed solely as a development or environmental concern.

“Water security is national security,” the minister declared, urging security planners to recognise the direct connection between access to water and the stability of communities.

According to him, inadequate access to safe water and sanitation, extreme weather events and poor management of water resources could fuel displacement, threaten livelihoods, trigger health emergencies and intensify competition among communities and economic sectors.

Utsev disclosed that the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook had identified 1,249 communities across 176 Local Government Areas in 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory as being at high risk of flooding.

He said the scale of the threat required stronger early-warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure and closer collaboration between institutions responsible for water, agriculture, health, environment and security.

The minister also identified irrigation as a key component of Nigeria’s food security strategy, particularly as unpredictable rainfall continues to affect agricultural production.

“Irrigation development is critical to reducing Nigeria’s dependence on increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns,” he said.

Utsev disclosed that about 154,000 hectares of irrigable land were currently supporting more than 1.6 million farmers, with government working to increase irrigation coverage.

He said the River Basin Development Authorities also had important roles to play in irrigation, fisheries, agriculture, flood control, rural water supply, agro-processing and employment generation.

According to him, improving the capacity of the authorities would enable Nigeria to make better use of its water resources while addressing socioeconomic pressures linked to water insecurity.

The minister further announced plans for a National Water Compact covering 2026 to 2030, which he said would provide a coordinated framework for the country’s water and sanitation interventions.

The proposed Compact will focus on three areas: “Water for People, Water for Food and Water for the Planet.”

Utsev explained that the first would address access to safe water and sanitation, the second would focus on irrigation and agricultural production, while the third would promote climate resilience and sustainable management of water resources.

He said the initiative was being developed through collaboration involving federal and state governments, security agencies, River Basin Development Authorities, traditional and religious leaders, the private sector, development partners, civil society groups and communities.

Beyond domestic water management, Utsev stressed the need for stronger water diplomacy and cooperation with neighbouring countries because Nigeria shares several water systems with other nations.

He identified five priorities for improving national water security: incorporating water security into national security planning, strengthening intergovernmental coordination, increasing investment and sustainable financing, improving climate resilience and water intelligence, and building the capacity of women and young people.

“The resilience of the systems that sustain the people is fundamental to national security,” he said.

Utsev maintained that protecting water resources, expanding access to safe water and sanitation, improving irrigation and preparing adequately for floods and droughts would be crucial to Nigeria’s long-term stability.

The Commandant of the National Defence College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed, commended the minister’s presentation and agreed that water security had become an important national security concern.

Ahmed identified flooding, drought and conflicts linked to competition over natural resources as emerging security challenges, calling for greater utilisation of Nigeria’s freshwater resources and stronger international cooperation over shared water systems.

The lecture was attended by faculty members of the National Defence College and senior officials from the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation.