Residents of Minna, the Niger State capital, are facing a worsening water crisis despite the allocation of billions of naira to improve water supply over the years.
Many homes have little or no access to pipe-borne water and now depend on vendors, boreholes, and distant water sources for their daily needs.
Women and children trek long distances and queue for hours at boreholes and public taps, often starting before dawn to secure enough water for the day.
The scarcity has disrupted schooling, as some children, especially girls, miss classes or arrive late because they spend mornings fetching water or waiting for vendors.
Health risks are rising as desperate residents sometimes resort to unsafe water from streams, ponds, or other untreated sources, raising fears of outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
Households also struggle financially as the cost of water from vendors has increased sharply, with prices fluctuating and often spiking during periods of peak demand.
Water vendors, using trucks, tricycles, and pushcarts, now dominate access to water in many parts of Minna and decide when and where to deliver, sometimes hiking prices without notice.
Some residents complain of arbitrary practices and rudeness, while acknowledging that vendors provide an essential service in the absence of reliable public supply.
The vendors say their prices reflect rising costs, including payments for jerrycans, vehicle hire, water from borehole owners, and fuel when electricity supply is poor.
Power shortages further complicate the situation, as many boreholes and pumping stations depend on electricity, leading to longer queues and more reliance on vendors when there is no light.
Lawmakers in the Niger State House of Assembly have raised alarm about the crisis, warning of serious public health consequences if urgent measures are not taken.
Some residents recently confronted Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago about the lack of water and electricity, urging his administration to act faster to ease the hardship.
The state government has announced interventions, including plans to send water tankers to affected communities and to complete ongoing water infrastructure and pipe realignment projects.
Civil society groups and community leaders are calling for emergency funding, stricter monitoring of water quality from vendors, and lasting investment in reliable public water systems.
Communities have also turned to social media and appeals to philanthropists for support, asking for water tankers and borehole projects as Ramadan and Lent approach.
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