Economy
Tinubu Government Builds 12 Reference Labs Nationwide To Monitor Water Quality
Tinubu Government Builds 12 Reference Labs Nationwide To Monitor Water Quality
Tinubu Government builds 12 reference labs nationwide to monitor water quality. The federal government has established 12 water quality reference laboratories across Nigeria as part of efforts to improve water quality monitoring and surveillance.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, announced this at the opening ceremony of the inaugural Annual Water Quality Conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Mr Utsev, represented by the permanent secretary, Richard Pheelangwah, said the laboratories were established under the National Water Quality Reference Laboratories and Monitoring Network Programme.
He also noted the introduction of the Freshwater Restoration and Source Water Protection Programme, aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s water sources, including rivers, lakes and artificial reservoirs.
Mr Utsev said that access to safe water was a priority under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with the government committed to tackling sector challenges through partnerships and innovation.
He added that quality plays a vital role in public health, socio-economic development and environmental sustainability.
He recalled that “according to the 2021 Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene National Outcomes Routine Monitoring (WASHNORM) Report, 67 per cent of Nigeria’s population has access to basic water supply services.
“However, a significant proportion still lacks access to safely managed drinking water, with 25 per cent of the population relying on unimproved or surface water sources, which pose a high risk of waterborne diseases.”
He acknowledged that poor sanitation remains a major concern, as open defecation and indiscriminate waste disposal continue to contaminate water sources.
The minister stated that the ministry was leveraging modern technologies and collaborating with both local and international partners to enhance water quality management.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating open defecation and ensuring improved water and sanitation standards across the country.
He noted, “To further enhance water quality assurance, the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality, the Nigerian Standards for Ambient Water Quality, and the soon-to-be-finalised Nigerian Standard for Irrigation Water Quality have been established.
Additionally, the Community Water Safety Plan has been introduced to empower rural communities with the knowledge and tools needed to prevent water contamination.
The ministry has also commenced the production of hydrogen sulphide vials for microbial water quality assessment, which is currently being tested in UNICEF-supported states.’’
The Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Elizabeth Ugoh, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing safe drinking water for all Nigerians, promoting public health, and promoting economic productivity.
She emphasised that ensuring water safety was a public health, economic, and environmental priority.
“We all know that contaminated water is a major cause of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea, which hinders socio-economic development.
“It is our collective responsibility to develop and implement robust policies, institutional frameworks, and innovative solutions to improve water safety nationwide,” she said.
UNICEF WASH Manager, Chiranjibi Tiwari, warned that two-thirds of Nigeria’s water sources are contaminated with E. coli and Salmonella, causing severe waterborne diseases such as a cholera.
He cited a 2021 WASHNORM data, reporting 111,000 cholera cases and 3,600 deaths, with outbreaks persisting, including in Lagos, a traditionally low-risk area.
He warned that contaminated water threatens public health, education, and productivity, highlighting the need for urgent, coordinated action to achieve SDG 6 on universal clean water access.
He also linked safe water access to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, warning that failure to act would hinder national progress.
Mr Tiwari called for stronger collaboration among development partners, NGOs, civil society, academia, media, and the private sector.
He urged stakeholders to form structured partnerships, particularly with the private sector, to develop household water treatment technologies and public awareness campaigns to promote safer water practices.
Tap water
The UNESCO representative, Enang Momah, warned that water pollution could pose serious risks to health, food production, ecosystems, and economic growth.
She highlighted the impact of untreated wastewater, industrial chemicals, and emerging pollutants, exacerbated by climate change.
She cautioned that without improved water monitoring, 4.8 billion people could face health risks by 2030, stressing the urgency of pollution control and better wastewater treatment to prevent diseases such as cholera and schistosomiasis.
She reaffirmed UNESCO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria through its Intergovernmental Hydrology Programme (IHP) and technical expertise.
Representatives of WaterAid, ministries of health and environment, and other partners delivered goodwill messages.
Persistent Grid Collapse, Weak Power Supply Worsening Economic Hardship: Oyintiloye
Speaking with journalists on Sunday in Osogbo, Oyintiloye said the situation had continued to deteriorate despite assurances and reforms introduced by authorities.
He described unreliable electricity as a major setback to the federal government’s reforms in the power sector.
He appealed to President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene, noting that poor power supply is worsening economic hardship across the country.
Oyintiloye said the poor supply has compounded the effects of the current heatwave, making living conditions more difficult for many Nigerians.
The former lawmaker called for the constitution of a panel to investigate recurring national grid collapses and persistent supply challenges despite significant investments.
“It is a terrible situation across Nigeria with persistent poor power supply,” he said.
“Many small-scale businesses and large industrial players are affected, while most homes cannot boast of even three hours of electricity supply daily for domestic use.
“Despite numerous reforms and promises, the national grid continues to collapse. The situation is now compounded by gas supply shortages, weak transmission infrastructure, and chronic underinvestment across the power value chain.
“Nigerians are groaning, and urgent action must be taken by the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and his team. The situation cannot continue like this.”
Oyintiloye warned that the situation has already triggered protests in parts of the country and could escalate if not addressed promptly.
“The situation must be quickly addressed before it becomes a national embarrassment. Nigerians need to be informed whether the issue is due to structural failure or sabotage within the power sector,” he said.
Electricity
“This epileptic power supply has led to a series of peaceful protests nationwide. I appeal for the President’s intervention before these protests turn violent.
“Electricity is essential for households and the survival of businesses. Since the end of last year, there has been no stable power supply across the country, despite assurances by those in charge and huge investments in the sector.
“Poor power supply should not be added to the challenges Nigerians are currently facing. The high cost of fuel has also made it difficult for those relying on generators to cope.”
Eid-el-Fitr: NRC Sets To Run Three Lagos–Ibadan Train Trips Monday
Eid-el-Fitr: NRC sets to run three Lagos–Ibadan train trips Monday. He assured passengers of NRC’s continued commitment to safe, reliable, and efficient rail services.
This was contained in a statement issued on Friday in Lagos by NRC chief public relations officer, Callistus Unyimadu.
He said the additional trip was in response to high passenger turnout during the Eid-el-Fitr travel period.
“The extra trip is aimed at easing passenger movement and providing more travel options for commuters returning after the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.
“Under the schedule, departures from Lagos (Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute Metta) will be at 7.45 a.m., 1.40 p.m., and 4.00 p.m.
“From Ibadan (Obafemi Awolowo Station, Moniya), trains will depart at 8.00 a.m., 10.50 a.m., and 4.30 p.m.,” he said.
Mr Unyimadu assured passengers of NRC’s continued commitment to safe, reliable, and efficient rail services.
NRC Sets To Run Three Lagos–Ibadan Train Trips Monday
He advised travellers to arrive early, comply with ticketing and security procedures, and plan their journeys.
“The corporation appreciates the continued patronage of its services and wishes all passengers a safe and pleasant journey,” he added.
UBA, BII Sign Letter Of Intent To Explore Trade Finance Collaboration Across Africa
United Bank for Africa (UK) Limited (“UBA UK”) and British International Investment plc (“BII”), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, announced that they have signed a letter of intent to develop trade finance collaboration opportunities.
The proposed initiative aims to expand access to trade and working capital facilities for businesses operating across Africa.
Access to trade finance remains one of the most significant structural constraints on African trade. Businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are frequently unable to secure letters of credit, guarantees, and supply chain finance on commercially viable terms, limiting their capacity to export and import competitively. This trade finance gap is estimated by the African Development Bank to be over USD 80 billion annually.
To help close this gap, UBA UK, the London subsidiary of UBA Group, Africa’s Global Bank, will leverage its deep relationships across the Group’s 20-country African network to originate and structure trade finance transactions. While BII, with a mandate to support productive, sustainable, and inclusive growth across Africa, can support transactions that might otherwise fall outside conventional commercial appetite.
“The signing of this letter with BII represents a landmark moment for UBA UK and for the UBA Group’s global ambitions. As the Group’s hub for Trade Operations, UBA UK is uniquely positioned to connect African businesses with the international financial system. Working alongside BII, we can extend that capability further — mobilising capital where it matters most and helping to close the trade finance gap that holds back so much African potential,” said Lok Mishra, Chief Executive Officer, UBA UK
“British International Investment is committed to catalysing private sector growth across Africa, and trade finance is a critical enabler of that growth. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with UBA Group, whose pan-African network and deep institutional relationships can help advance our ambition to expand access to trade and working capital finance, particularly in frontier markets,” Chris Chijiuitomi, Managing Director and Head of Africa
The announcement builds on growing momentum around intra-African trade facilitated by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which entered into force in 2021 and represents one of the world’s most significant trade integration initiatives. Both institutions have identified the operationalisation of AfCFTA as a priority catalyst for a trade finance facility, with UBA UK’s network across major AfCFTA economies offering a basis for supporting businesses navigating the emerging continental market.
This also complements the UK Government’s broader engagement with African economic development, including commitments made at the UK-Africa Investment Summit, and reinforces the City of London’s role as a leading international finance centre for Africa-focused capital mobilisation.
Future cooperation remains subject to further assessment, due diligence and the completion of internal approvals by both parties.
ABOUT UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA (UK) LIMITED
UBA UK is the London-based subsidiary of United Bank for Africa Plc, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions with operations across 20 African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, and the United Arab Emirates. UBA UK serves as the Group’s hub for Trade Operations, providing a comprehensive suite of trade finance, treasury, and correspondent banking services to institutional and corporate clients worldwide.
UBA
ABOUT UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA GROUP
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology.
ABOUT BRITISH INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT
British International Investment is the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor. The organisation invests in businesses in developing countries to improve people’s lives and help protect the planet. BII’s work targets the underlying causes of poverty and the climate crisis, helping countries break free from aid dependency for good.
Between 2022-2026, at least 30 per cent of BII’s total new commitments by value will be in climate finance. BII is also a founding member of the 2X Challenge which has raised over $33.6 billion to empower women’s economic development.
The company has investments in over 1,600 businesses across 66 countries and total net assets of £9.87 billion. For more information, visit: www.bii.co.uk | watch here. Follow British International Investment on LinkedIn, Bluesky and X.
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