Dangiwa Pledges Stronger Collaboration on Water, Sanitation, Hygiene Initiatives
Otamere Gladness 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has pledged stronger collaboration with civil society groups to address Nigeria’s persistent water, sanitation and hygiene challenges.
Dangiwa made the commitment on Wednesday during a high-level meeting with the Society for Water and Sanitation, a coalition of civil society organisations, NGOs and community groups advocating improved access to safe water and sanitation.
The engagement, held at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, focused on aligning grassroots WASH interventions with national housing and urban development policies.
The minister commended the network’s role in community mobilisation, stressing that sustainable urban development cannot be achieved without access to clean water and proper sanitation systems.
“Reliable water and sanitation are critical to building liveable communities,” he said, assuring stakeholders of government readiness to strengthen partnerships.
Discussions centred on expanding WASH infrastructure, improving policy implementation, and developing innovative financing models to scale interventions nationwide.
Participants also highlighted gaps in underserved urban settlements, where rapid population growth continues to outpace access to basic services.
Experts at the meeting stressed the need for coordinated stakeholder engagement and regular monitoring to ensure effective delivery of projects.
The collaboration is expected to unlock new initiatives targeting millions of Nigerians, particularly in vulnerable communities lacking access to safe water and hygiene services.
Analysts say stronger partnerships between government and civil society will be crucial in addressing Nigeria’s WASH deficit and improving public health outcomes.
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