In Nigeria, the government is in the process of tightening the 2004 Water Resources Act, in particular Article 11 dealing with the issue of licences for water well drilling. The meeting to review the terms and conditions of water licences was organised on 10 July 2023 by the Nigerian Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC).
In Nigeria, as in a number of other African countries, climate change is clearly increasing, with a significant reduction in water resources. There is therefore an urgent need to rationalise the use of available resources. For the government of the West African country, this means controlling the drilling of water wells. The Nigerian Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC) recently began revising the 2004 Water Resources Act so as to be able to penalise all unlicensed water users in Nigeria.
The revisions will focus on sections 11 to 19 of the Act, which deal with the issuing of water licences, licence fees, powers to set rates for water extraction, penalties and the issuing of regulations. “Water licences play an essential role in the sustainable management and allocation of water resources in Nigeria. It ensures equitable access to water, encourages efficient use and protects the environment,” explains Magashi Bashir, Executive Director of NIWRMC.
Sustainable management of water resources
In Nigeria, the anarchic drilling of water wells and the unavailability of adequate and reliable data have paralysed the water use licensing system over the years.
Therefore, the revised law will ensure an appropriate and continuous licensing regime and determine the regime for the correct use of the licence by different applicants. Key considerations in the revised licence conditions will also include sustainability and long-term water management, through equity and fairness in water distribution.
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“We will be setting up a consultative forum in which the states will be involved in everything we do,” says Chinesonu Okpoko, a legal expert at NIWRMC. But what is the real future of this law, given that not all areas of Nigeria have a water distribution service?
Inès Magoum
