Nigeria's President, Bola Tinubu, did not mince words about his nation's future during a regional conference in the nation's capital. According to reports by Enviro News Nigeria, the president declared a national emergency on food security.
What's happening?
The sixth annual African Regional Conference on Irrigation and Drainage was held in April 2025, and officials in attendance highlighted concerns about water management in the future. Babagana Zulum, the governor of Borno State, a region in northeast Nigeria that borders Chad, spoke plainly, "Our fertile lands are turning to dust. Irrigation is now a necessity, not a luxury."
Nigeria does not lack water. According to a research paper published in late 2024, it has the most freshwater resources on the continent. However, a combination of industrial waste, agricultural runoff, and domestic sewage taints this precious resource. Rising global temperatures and the increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events compound these problems.
Why are water shortages in Nigeria important?
The continued use of dirty energy is exacerbating rising global temperatures and extreme weather, making it more difficult for farmers to yield successful harvests. As a result, food shortages are a direct result of the overheating of our planet.
What's more, according to the UN, Nigeria is one of the world's fastest-growing nations and is projected to eclipse the United States as the world's third-most populous nation by 2050. Unlike most other countries, Nigeria's fertility rate is far above the replacement rate of five births per woman. However, this growth is unevenly applied, and the poorer rural region in the north is leading this population boom. As the Economist reports, the fertility rate in Katsina state is mind-boggling at 7.4.
Suffice it to say, feeding that massive population with dwindling resources will be a huge future challenge. Without drastic intervention, food insecurity could escalate into a major humanitarian crisis.
What's being done about Nigeria's water crisis?
Attendees at the conference are looking for innovative solutions to the problem, and researchers have called for stronger regulations and education to carve a better path forward.
Adopting more sustainable agricultural practices like no-till farming has already shown some promise in South Africa. Similarly, Nigeria may also take notes from its neighbors. Farmers in Cameroon are reaping the benefits of using traditional, sustainable farming methods.
In the long term, ditching polluting dirty energy in favor of clean renewable sources like wind and solar will also help mitigate the problem.
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