Residents of several satellite towns in Nigeria’s capital have raised concerns over worsening water shortages as supply problems spread beyond the city centre into surrounding communities.
The shortage, first reported in early January, initially affected districts such as Asokoro, Maitama, Wuye, Gwarinpa and Kubwa in Abuja. However, residents say the situation has now deteriorated in outlying communities including Bwari, Gwagwalada, Abaji and Kuje.
Sources within the FCT Water Board linked the crisis to shortages of water-treatment chemicals and unpaid electricity bills owed to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, which reportedly cut power supply to some of the board’s facilities.
In Bwari, residents say they now wake up before dawn to fetch water from private boreholes or wells. Many households have also reported that traditional water sources are drying up as the dry season intensifies.
A resident of Sabon-Gari in Bwari, Jane Akogun, said she often wakes up before 5 a.m. with her children to search for water. She noted that many wells used by the community have dried up, while unreliable electricity supply has prevented borehole owners from pumping water.
Other residents say the falling water table has reduced the output of boreholes in the area, making it difficult to fill household storage tanks even when electricity is available.
The situation is similar in Gwagwalada, where the price of a 20-litre jerrycan of water has risen to about ₦200 in some areas, compared with between ₦50 and ₦100 previously.
In Abaji and parts of Kuje Area Council, some communities now depend on nearby streams, ponds or dry riverbeds. Residents in Gawu community said they often dig into sand in dried stream beds to collect water for domestic use.
Community members also complained that the only functioning borehole in the area broke down several years ago despite efforts by residents to repair it.
Local leaders say repeated requests to the area council for assistance have yet to yield results.
Officials within the council said the refurbishment of rural boreholes has been included in the current budget, although timelines for repairs remain unclear.
Meanwhile, a source at the FCT Water Board said the situation requires urgent attention from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The official noted that although major water expansion projects are ongoing in towns such as Bwari and Karu, lasting improvements will depend on resolving persistent challenges affecting water treatment and distribution systems.
Daily trust