Idowu Adebomi, Ado Ekiti
A development and water resources expert, Engineer Michael Ale, has attributed the widespread lack of access to clean and safe water in Nigeria to poor maintenance culture and economic hardship.
Speaking during an interview with journalists in his office to mark this year’s World Water Day, Ale, who is the Co-founder and President of the Safe Water for Africa Community Initiative (SWACI), underscored the pressing challenges that prevent low-income Nigerians from accessing potable water. He stressed that urgent, large-scale investment in the water sector by the government is the most effective solution to the crisis.
“As the world observes World Water Day, millions of Nigerians continue to face a grim reality—clean and safe water remains a privilege enjoyed mainly by the affluent, while the less privileged struggle daily to access this essential human need,” he stated.
He pointed out that one of the biggest hurdles is the high cost of drilling boreholes, which, in many areas, serve as the only reliable water source.
“The price of drilling a borehole falls between ¦ 1.5 million and ¦ 2.6 million, a figure that is simply unaffordable for many Nigerians living in poverty,” he explained.
Another major concern, Ale noted, is the frequent breakdown of borehole infrastructure. Many community boreholes, often provided by the government, non-profit organisations, philanthropists, or politicians, quickly fall into disrepair due to a lack of proper maintenance.
He lamented the deterioration of government-owned water treatment plants and pipelines, which has forced millions of people to rely on either costly or unsafe water sources. This situation, he warned, has led to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea—clear signs of developmental setbacks caused by inadequate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities.
Ale stressed the importance of adopting innovative and sustainable approaches to water resource management, citing the Borehole Management System Software (BAMS) as a transformative initiative. This digital platform enables borehole operators to oversee their water sources more effectively, reducing operational costs and ensuring better access to clean water.
He urged the government to prioritise the rehabilitation and upkeep of existing boreholes rather than investing in new projects that might also be left to deteriorate.
“The introduction of BAMS, alongside other groundbreaking initiatives such as the Project Outcome Validation Aggregator (POVA), requires strong backing from private investors, government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), volunteers, and water associations,” he said. “These stakeholders must take proactive steps to enhance water management, particularly in underserved areas.”
Ale, who is also the chairman of Male Integrated Science, a renowned borehole drilling company, commended the Ibadan Descendants Union in Texas, USA, for their sustainable efforts in tackling persistent water shortages through the Water Root Connect programme, which has led to the construction of nearly 22 solar-powered boreholes across Ibadan.
He urged private borehole owners and investors to support technological solutions such as BAMS and POVA to improve the management of boreholes and other water infrastructure.
“Communities must demand accountability in water resource management to prevent further neglect of critical infrastructure. Clean and safe water should not be a luxury but a fundamental right accessible to all Nigerians,” he concluded
