Nigeria's Water Minister Urges Action Against River Pollution

On September 29, 2026, during a media briefing in Abuja to commemorate World Rivers Day, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, called on Nigerians to cease the dumping of sewage, refuse, and plastics into rivers and waterways. He warned that contaminated water resources pose significant risks to public health and livelihoods.

Utsev highlighted that untreated sewage and wastewater not only degrade the environment but also threaten public health and water supplies. He noted that 179 Local Government Areas have been validated as Open Defecation Free through the Federal Government’s Clean Nigeria Campaign, with over 5,238 public sanitation facilities supported nationwide.

The minister urged the public to adopt responsible wastewater and sanitation practices and to protect river catchments from pollution. He acknowledged the increasing pressures on Nigeria’s rivers from urbanization, untreated wastewater, and climate change, stressing the need for collective action from various sectors to manage water resources effectively.