The federal government in partnership with development institutions, civil society, diplomatic corps, private sector and local communities have launched the Lokoja Dialogues, an independent non-profit platform focused on strengthening Nigeria’s resilience by applying a Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus approach to community challenges.
Convened by Mrs Polly Alakija, the initiative introduces a new model of engagement that connects community realities to technical insight, national planning and investment opportunities.
Nigeria’s Water Security Challenge
Mrs Alakija described Nigeria’s “water paradox”, noting that while the country has abundant water resources, access and management remain uneven.
“Nigeria’s water crisis is not about availability, it is about access. And certainly, we can say that our broken water cycles have become our poverty cycle. As recognised in the COP29 Water for Climate Action Declaration – the climate crisis is a water crisis.” she said.
From an economic perspective, Mr Wale Edun, OFR, Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, described water security as essential to Nigeria’s reform trajectory. “The scale of Nigeria’s water challenge is national, but its impact is local and deeply personal. We have to work together – government, partners, and communities, to close the gap.”, he said.
Engineer Joseph Terlumun Utsev, Honourable Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, reinforced the need for technical and community alignment. “Water is the life blood that sustains our ecosystem, empowers our economy and nourishes our people.”, he remarked.
Working Groups Set up
The inaugural working groups explored water and food security, the water and energy nexus and wetland conservation. More than 40 participants, including community representatives from Kebbi, Delta and Yobe, identified practical challenges and locally anchored solutions. Early insights include the need for reliable irrigation to reduce climate risk, affordable power for rural water systems, and urgent action to control invasive species and restore wetlands. These findings will guide the next phase of programme and policy development.
Mr Olu Adeosun, Trustee of Lokoja Dialogues urged partners to keep the momentum alive, noting that, “It is time for us to come together, to share our values, to fix the broken water cycle.”
He emphasised that the next phase of the Dialogues will focus on turning community-sourced insights into fundable, scalable solutions.
