Dr. Nicholas Igwe has warned that Nigeria is missing out on a projected $26 billion sanitation market opportunity by 2030 due to weak institutional frameworks.
Dr. Nicholas Igwe, Global Head and National Coordinator of the Organised Private Sector in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (OPS-WASH), issued the warning on Tuesday in Abuja. He spoke at a press briefing on unlocking private sector investment for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure in Africa. Igwe, who also serves on the Presidential Steering Committee on Sanitation, said barriers to investment rather than a lack of interest from private actors were preventing Nigeria from capturing value in areas such as water reuse facilities and urban sanitation networks. He stated that the challenges stem from weak institutional arrangements. The OPS-WASH coordinator advocated for a Private Sector Engagement Platform under a proposed WASH Finance Foundation to bridge government, investors and technical experts. He noted that achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 would require substantial annual global investment beyond what Official Development Assistance can provide.