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Women collecting water from a well in Gombe State, Nigeria

COMMUNITY-LED WATER ACTION · NIGERIA

Safe water should be within reach.

We work towards reliable water, dignified sanitation and healthier communities across underserved Nigeria.

Explore our work Explore the data
Hero photo credits
Gombe State, Nigeria · Documentary photo by IIMGC / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized and displayed cropped
Nigeria · Documentary photo by Abanda bride / CC BY-SA 4.0 · Resized and displayed cropped
Irawo, Oyo State, Nigeria · Documentary photo by NigerianScribe / CC0 · Resized and displayed cropped
Nenwe, Nigeria · Documentary photo by Cpraise / CC0 · Resized and displayed cropped

NIGERIA IN NUMBERSWASHNORM 2021

67%

At least basic drinking water

13%

Safely managed drinking water

17%

Access to basic hygiene

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WHAT WE DO

Four priorities.
One shared purpose.

Safe water depends on more than infrastructure. Our four work areas connect water access, household health and the protection of water sources.

THE WATER GAP

Explore Nigeria’s
water landscape.

Water access differs sharply across the country. Switch indicators and select a zone or a state on the map to see the zone’s survey results.

NIGERIA WASH ATLAS2021 SURVEY
Map of NigeriaState outlines are coloured by their geopolitical zone’s survey result. Use the location menu for keyboard access. Cross River — South SouthFCT — North CentralOgun — South WestOyo — South WestSokoto — North WestZamfara — North WestLagos — South WestAkwa Ibom — South SouthBayelsa — South SouthOndo — South WestDelta — South SouthRivers — South SouthKwara — North CentralKogi — North CentralBenue — North CentralBorno — North EastKatsina — North WestPlateau — North CentralEdo — South SouthJigawa — North WestAnambra — South EastKano — North WestNasarawa — North CentralKebbi — North WestImo — South EastGombe — North EastAdamawa — North EastYobe — North EastAbia — South EastEkiti — South WestOsun — South WestBauchi — North EastNiger — North CentralKaduna — North WestEnugu — South EastTaraba — North EastEbonyi — South East
0–19%20–39%40–59%60–79%80–100%

NATIONAL ESTIMATE

Nigeria

67%

At least basic drinking water

People using an improved source within a 30-minute round trip, including queueing.

33% below this service threshold

National estimate: 67%

Source: WASHNORM 2021 (published 2022). Values are historical survey estimates. Selecting a state shows its zone’s result; the map does not imply state-level measurements or CWANI project locations. Boundaries: GRID3 via geoBoundaries (CC BY 4.0; simplified and projected).

View data table and methodology
WASHNORM 2021 · percentage of population, rounded as reported
GeographyAt least basic drinking waterSafely managed drinking waterAt least basic sanitationBasic hygiene
Nigeria67%13%46%17%
North West56%4%42%22%
North East66%2%51%12%
North Central58%6%38%11%
South West85%29%47%18%
South East73%17%57%13%
South South65%20%46%24%

The gap is calculated as 100 minus the displayed coverage estimate. It is the share below the selected threshold; it does not necessarily mean having no service. National values are published estimates, not averages of the six zones.

See WASHNORM 2021 executive summary p. 34 (basic water) and Figures 10, 23 and 28 (safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene). “At least basic” includes people who meet the higher safely managed threshold.

A hand-operated borehole in Irawo, Oyo State, Nigeria
Irawo, Oyo State, Nigeria · Documentary photo by NigerianScribe / CC0 · Resized and displayed cropped

OUR APPROACH

Water is where health begins.

A water point can change the rhythm of a day. But a working pump alone is not enough: the water has to be safe, the service dependable and the community able to keep it running. Our approach connects infrastructure with household practice and long-term stewardship.

Get to know CWANI
Engr. Patrick Obanor

FROM THE FOUNDER

A word from our founder

No family should have to choose between a long walk for water and a nearby source they cannot trust. That belief is why I founded Clean Water For All Nigeria Initiative.

We work with underserved communities to improve access to safe water, help families store and treat it safely, improve sanitation and hygiene, and protect water sources. We start by listening, because a water point only serves its purpose if people can depend on it long after it opens.

If your community has a water need, or you can offer time, expertise or resources, I invite you to work with us.

Enger. Patrick Obanor (COREN) Founder, Clean Water For All Nigeria Initiative

Engr. Patrick Obanor
Founder, CWANI

INSIGHTS

Understand the issues.

Clear explanations of the data and the practical decisions behind sustainable water services.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Let’s work together.

Share a community need, propose a partnership or ask how you can help.

Get involved