Grave Adeleke
The Federal Government has raised the alarm over the growing threats posed by pollution, climate change and human activities to Nigeria’s rivers and other critical water resources.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, gave the warning on Monday in Abuja during a media briefing to commemorate the 2026 World Rivers Day, with the theme, “No Forests, No Rivers, No Water, No Life.”
Utsev identified untreated wastewater, indiscriminate disposal of solid waste, agricultural runoff, erosion, sand mining, population growth and rapid urbanisation among the major factors putting pressure on the nation’s rivers.
He added that climate change was compounding the situation through changing rainfall patterns, more frequent flooding and prolonged droughts.
The minister warned that the continued degradation of rivers could have far-reaching consequences for communities, ecosystems and the national economy, given the critical role of water bodies in agriculture, food production, fisheries, domestic and industrial water supply.
He said Nigeria needed to move away from fragmented management of its water resources towards an integrated and sustainable system that protects watersheds and river basins.
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