The Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission is a unique Regulatory Organization, involving a partnership of the Federal, States, Local Governments and the Federal Capital Territory.
Efficient and equitable delivery of water for productive and sustainable domestic consumption, environmental benefit and economic use
To regulate, protect, conserve and control Water Resources defined in this Law as the “National Water Resources” (Act 2004) for equitable and sustainable social and economic development, also to maintain the environmental integrity of the ecosystem.
“To be a world class Water Resources Regulatory Agency delivering sufficient quantity and quality of water, for all uses and users”.
“To provide socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, as well as effective and efficient Regulation of the Nation’s Water Resources”.
Strategy Development
- The strategy is intended to provide for present and future water needs as well as support better collaboration amongst government agencies with responsibilities for Water Regulation.
- It recognizes that water itself is dynamic, Water Regulatory decisions must be able to adapt to seasonal and climatic variability.
- Water decisions affects the environment, social and economic conditions. Decision makers need to take a wide array of circumstances into account including:
- Climate variability and change
- Aging infrastructure
- Population growth
- Cumulative effects
- Technological innovations
- Changing water demands
- Water management regime
- Consumption levels
- Land use changes
- This Strategic Plan is coming at a time when the National Water Resources has to be effectively managed so as to ensure access to the National diversification process of the economy.
- Insufficient availability and widespread water use restrictions have severely limited the economic growth of the nation and aggravated stresses on the natural resource base.
- Nigeria is categorized by International Water Management Institute (IWMI) as experiencing physical and economic water scarcity.
- The nation by virtue of its position downstream of all the shared rivers is “hostage to hydrology”.
- The centrality of Water Resources management to poverty reduction and economic growth of the nation, the limitation of past efforts are part the reasons that led to the reforms in the Water Sector which informed the creation of the Commission to drive the attainment of IWRM goals.
- The principal goal of the public reform as it affects Water Resources sector, as can be deduced from the vision and mission statement, is to reposition the Commission to provide the desired regulatory functions, necessary for the attainment of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
