Despite unclean water crisis, Niger Govt budgets N71bn, releases zero naira for water ministry projects

By solacebase.com On Jun 6, 2026

Unclean water, Niger Govt ,budgets, water ministry, projects — Despite unclean water crisis, Niger Govt budgets N71bn, releases zero naira for water ministry projects

By Aminu Abubakar

Despite recurring cholera outbreaks, persistent water scarcity and mounting concerns over access to safe drinking water across communities, the Niger State Government failed to release a single naira for capital projects under the Ministry of Water Resources in the first quarter of 2026, budget implementation records have shown.

An analysis of the Niger State Government’s 2026 First Quarter Budget Performance Report revealed that the Ministry of Water Resources, which received a capital allocation of N71.11 billion in the 2026 budget, recorded zero expenditure between January and March.

The ministry’s entire allocation remained untouched despite growing concerns over the state’s water infrastructure deficit and the health risks associated with unsafe water consumption.

The report showed that N50.46 billion was budgeted for the Ministry of Water Resources headquarters, while the Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSAN) was allocated N18.18 billion. The Niger State Small Town Water Supply and Sanitation Agency received a budgetary provision of N1.63 billion, while the Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation was allocated N832.68 million.

However, none of the agencies received any capital releases during the period under review.

The development comes at a time when many communities across the state continue to struggle with inadequate access to clean and potable water, forcing residents to rely on rivers, streams, ponds and other unsafe sources for domestic use.

The failure to fund water infrastructure projects has also raised questions about the state’s preparedness to tackle recurring outbreaks of waterborne diseases, particularly cholera, which has repeatedly affected communities in Niger State.

In July 2025, health authorities reported that 13 people died from a cholera outbreak that spread across six local government areas of the state. The outbreak also left 236 people hospitalised.

The disease was first reported in Shiroro Local Government Area before spreading to other affected communities, where several residents lost their lives.

Public health experts have consistently linked cholera outbreaks to poor sanitation and inadequate access to clean drinking water.

For many rural residents, the danger posed by unsafe water is not merely a statistic but a daily reality.

A previous investigation by SolaceBase highlighted how women and children in several rural communities face heightened health risks because of inadequate access to potable water.

The report chronicled the story of Umar Angulu, a resident of Mawogi village in Lapai Local Government Area, who lost his wife, Bilikisu, during a cholera outbreak that swept through the community in 2023.

Angulu recalled how the disease spread rapidly through the village, claiming several lives.

“We rely on a brownish water that flows from under a bridge in Mawogi for everything,” he said while recounting the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death.

According to him, Bilikisu suffered severe vomiting and dehydration before she was rushed to Lapai Primary Health Centre. Despite receiving treatment, her condition deteriorated and she eventually died.

Mawogi’s experience is far from isolated.

In Essangi, a remote farming community in Agaie Local Government Area, residents continue to depend on a stagnant brownish water source for drinking, cooking and washing.

Residents say the water source, which appears muddy and contaminated, remains the only available option for many households.

The consequences of consuming such water are often severe, particularly for children, pregnant women and the elderly.

Even communities located closer to urban centres continue to face water supply challenges.

In May 2026, residents of Kwamba community in Suleja raised concerns over worsening water scarcity, describing the situation as a growing burden on households.

Several residents said obtaining water had become increasingly difficult as available sources failed to meet demand.

A student, Kisiah Jeremiah, lamented that the situation was affecting her education.

She explained that long queues at community wells often result in delays that make it difficult for her to arrive at school on time.

According to her, many residents spend hours waiting for water, only to discover that supplies have been exhausted before reaching their turn.

Against this backdrop, the absence of spending in the water sector has drawn attention, particularly because the ministry received one of the largest allocations in the state’s 2026 budget.

The Ministry of Water Resources ranked among the highest-funded ministries, trailing only a handful of sectors in terms of budgetary allocation.

Yet, while water projects received no funding, several other ministries recorded substantial capital expenditure during the first quarter.

The Ministry of Works emerged as the biggest beneficiary of government capital spending, receiving N46.61 billion between January and March. The amount represented approximately 59 per cent of the state’s total capital expenditure of N79.28 billion during the period.

The Ministry of Agriculture followed with N11.58 billion in capital spending from its N78.54 billion budget allocation.

Similarly, the Ministry of Finance recorded N3.42 billion in capital expenditure, representing a budget implementation rate of 33.6 per cent.

The Housing Corporation also posted one of the highest implementation rates, spending N4.17 billion from its N7.8 billion allocation, equivalent to 53.4 per cent budget performance.

The health sector received significant releases as well.

The Ministry of Health spent N3.88 billion during the first quarter, while the Primary Health Care Development Agency utilised N2.66 billion.

Combined, both institutions accounted for more than N6.5 billion in capital expenditure.

The Ministry of Power and Renewable Energy also received N1.85 billion in funding, including N722.55 million allocated to the Niger State Electrification Board.

However, several sectors recorded minimal or no expenditure.

The Ministry of Rural Development, which received a capital allocation of N9.88 billion, spent nothing during the period.

Likewise, the Ministry of Transport, allocated N6.17 billion, recorded zero expenditure.

The Ministry of Investment and Private Sector Development, with a budget of N2.19 billion, also failed to record any spending.

The education sector similarly witnessed weak implementation.

The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education spent only N1.63 billion from its N83.44 billion allocation, representing just 1.9 per cent performance.

The State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), despite controlling projects worth N14.83 billion, received no capital releases.

The Ministry of Tertiary Education spent only N7 million out of its N25.3 billion budget.

Overall, Niger State spent N79.28 billion out of its N783.69 billion capital budget in the first quarter, translating to an implementation rate of 10.1 per cent.

While roads, housing, agriculture, health and power projects attracted substantial government funding, the complete absence of expenditure in the water sector stands out sharply given the state’s recurring battles with cholera outbreaks, widespread water scarcity and the continued dependence of many communities on unsafe water sources.

For residents who still queue for hours at wells, fetch water from streams and ponds, or rely on contaminated sources for daily survival, the failure to release funds for projects worth more than N71 billion is likely to fuel concerns about the government’s commitment to expanding access to clean water and improving public health outcomes across the state.