In Nigeria, the federal government is preparing a new Water and Sanitation Investment Plan to improve these essential services in the states of Akwa Ibom, Borno, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun and Zamfara. Developing this plan will require technical expertise, and the Nigerian authorities are aware of this.
A call for tenders was therefore launched on 31 October 2023 and is due to close on 19 November. The tender document published by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the project’s financial partner, states that “Consultants may form consortia to increase their chances of qualification and may express interest in one or more assignments”.
Over a period of six months from the date of signature of the agreement, the consultancy firm recruited will be tasked with developing a water supply and sanitation master plan detailing the investment projects required for the planning and expansion of the systems, in order to meet the demand for water supply and sanitation in the short, medium and long term in the target states. It will also identify priority projects, and provide a general framework linking all other related initiatives implemented in the water and sanitation sector.
The Water Agencies of Akwa Ibom, Borno, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun and Zamfara States will oversee the consultancy services that will contribute to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which aims to ensure universal access to water and sanitation for all people by 2030. If Nigeria wants to meet this commitment, it will have to redouble its efforts, because according to the World Bank (2018 report), around 60 million Nigerians still live without access to basic drinking water services, 80 million without access to improved sanitation facilities, and 167 million without access to a basic hand-washing facility.
For more information on the call for tenders, click here.
Inès Magoum