Minna residents battle a daily water crisis despite Niger State's river wealth

Dry taps are wrecking daily life in Niger State, turning water into a cash grab while families scramble just to cook and stay clean.

Predawn scramble in Minna and Suleja

• Residents in Tunga, Minna, queue at 5 am for rumors.
• Across Minna and Suleja, taps stay dry for weeks.
• Bosso and Kpakungu neighborhoods report vanishing supply.
• Families spend thousands of naira weekly on water.

Prices surge as vendors cash in

• Aisha Sadiq said cooking stops without bought water.
• Trucked water sells between N2,000 and N3,500.
• Sachet bags cost about N300, forcing rationing.
• December 2025 rates were far lower than current charges.

Infrastructure decay and urban damage

• Engr Tobi Adeolu blamed road works for wrecked pipelines.
• Contractors buried broken galvanized pipes under asphalt.
• Scavengers later stripped exposed sections for resale.
• Adeolu warned that mapping failures doom fresh investments.

Government response and political history

• Engr. Gimba D. Yisa admitted that transmission lines were damaged.
• NISWASEC deployed tankers while repairs drag on.
• Yahaya Alhassan Gwagwa blamed vandalism and illegal hookups.
• Abdulkadir Abdullahi Kure had purchased ductile pipes years ago.

Budget promises versus dry reality

• Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu highlighted water projects in policy plans.
• Abubakar Sani Bello kept supply upgrades in budgets.
• Mohammed Umaru Bago earmarked N5.2 billion for 2024 projects.
• Residents argue that spending never reached a steady household delivery.

Health impact and legislative alarm

• A nurse at Minna General Hospital described rationed sanitation.
• Patients bring water as infections reportedly rise.
• Abdulmalik Mohammed Sarkin-Daji urged emergency measures.
• The Niger State House of Assembly pressed for urgent action.