The World Bank has approved a credit of US$250mn from the International Development Association to boost the Nigeria’s efforts to increase access to water supply services and improve existing water utilities
In a statement, World Bank said the funds would be directed to the poor and urban population living in state capitals and their surroundings.
Water supply and related services would be provided to areas like Kano, Gombe, Benue, Jigawa, Ondo, Abia, Bayelsa, Anambra and Plateau, and is set to benefit two million people, added World Bank.
Funds is expected to help rehabilitate and build the water delivery infrastructure and institutional systems required to expand access to water supply services for people in cities like Bauchi, Ekiti and Rivers.
A portion of the project is performance-based, and would include incentives for improving the performance of water supply institutions in these three cities, stated the financial institution.
Marie Françoise Marie-Nelly, country director of World Bank Nigeria, said, “Today’s project builds on past experience, which has shown that building water infrastructure without strengthening the capacity of the institutions responsible for managing water supply to the targeted areas does not lead to sustainable results.
“We hope that the new strategy, which puts more emphasis on this integrated approach will contribute to improve the health and economic well-being of the country’s poorest and more vulnerable, particularly women and girls who spend a lot of time fetching water.”
