FG, World Bank Plan to Save Nigeria’s Shrinking Water Bodies

The Federal Government, along with the World Bank and key environmental groups, has introduced a plan to restore Nigeria’s shrinking water bodies and improve climate resilience in vulnerable regions of the country.

This initiative is part of the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project. It aims to tackle worsening environmental problems like degradation, desertification, and declining water resources. These issues increasingly threaten livelihoods, agriculture, and food security in several states.

Officials shared details of the plan during a technical workshop in Abuja. It focused on presenting and validating nine Strategic Catchment Management Plans. These plans are crucial to the broader environmental restoration program.

Tackling environmental pressures

Nigeria has faced serious environmental stress for years, especially in the north. There, desertification, unpredictable rainfall, and land degradation continue to strain agricultural production and rural livelihoods.

According to Punch, at the event, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, said the initiative represents a coordinated national response to the environmental threats facing millions of Nigerians.

“As we meet here in Abuja, millions of our fellow citizens in the 19 Northern States and the FCT face tough daily battles: advancing deserts, unreliable rains, degraded farmlands, and shrinking water bodies,” Lawal said. “These are not abstract problems. They threaten the food on our tables, the income of our farmers and herders, and the stability of our communities.”

Lawal said the ACReSAL programme is implemented by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the ministries of water resources and agriculture. He added that the initiative aims to strengthen climate resilience and help communities manage natural resources sustainably.

“The ACReSAL Project shows Nigeria’s strong response to these challenges,” the minister emphasized. He noted that the government’s goal is to restore damaged landscapes. It also helps communities manage their resources in a sustainable way.

A $700 million environmental intervention

The ACReSAL project has $700 million in funding from the World Bank. It aims at restoring degraded lands and improving watershed management in semi-arid areas.

Officials involved in the program stated that a major part of the project is creating 20 Strategic Catchment Management Plans. These plans will serve as guides for protecting watersheds and revitalizing ecological systems.

Abdulhamid Umar, the National Coordinator of ACReSAL, represented by Communications Officer Awwal Wara, said these plans will direct investment in environmental restoration, climate-friendly agriculture, and better water management.

“These plans are more than documents,” Wara said. “They capture the voices you raised during consultations last year and identify real challenges, deforested landscapes, eroding soils, shrinking water sources, and overgrazed lands, while offering practical, community-centred solutions.”

He added that the initiative will allocate resources for activities like tree planting, better watershed management, and sustainable farming practices that will directly benefit rural households.

Managing water beyond political boundaries

Experts drafting the strategy stressed the importance of managing water based on natural watershed boundaries rather than political ones.

Chuka Ofodile, Managing Director of Mecon Engineering and Services Ltd, clarified that catchments represent natural economic zones defined by water systems.

“What these catchments are are natural watershed boundaries,” Ofodile said. He added that such zones are “propelled centrally by the water resources within them.” This ultimately determines the long-term development potential of the region.

He pointed out that factors like geology, mineral resources, culture, and population trends also shape how catchments develop. He emphasized the need for planning that cuts across different sectors.

Expanding restoration efforts

Out of the 20 proposed strategic catchment plans under the program, the government has already validated 11. The latest workshop focuses on reviewing the remaining nine. These include the Malenda, Oshin-Oy, Gurara-Gbako, Aloma-Konshisha, Benue-Mada, Sarkin-Pawa-Kaduna, Lungur-Gongola, Gaji-Lamurde, and Hawul-Kilange catchments.

The plans cover various ACReSAL states. They include Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, the Federal Capital Territory, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.

Henrietta Alhassan, Director of Hydrology representing the World Bank’s task team, said the validation process is an important step towards strengthening Nigeria’s environmental resilience.

“The World Bank recognizes the immense dedication, technical expertise, and collaboration that have shaped the strategic documents being validated today,” she said.

“Effective catchment management is not only a technical endeavor. It is a cornerstone for resilient livelihoods, ecological stability, and long-term development.”

A race against environmental decline

Environmental experts caution that without coordinated action, decreasing water sources could further damage agricultural productivity and economic stability in Nigeria’s vulnerable regions.

Through the ACReSAL initiative and the new catchment management plans, the Federal Government and its partners hope to reverse this trend. The government can achieve this by restoring ecosystems and improving water management. Also, by ensuring it involves the communities most affected by environmental change in the solution.