Effect of selected factors on water supply and access to safe water in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper evaluated access to safe water supply in Nigeria. Information on access to drinking water and water supply were acquired from literature and archives. The information were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Effects of selected factors (number of local government areas in the State, hydrological areas, geopolitical zones, gender populations, presence of donor in the State, land size of the State and year of State creation) on access to safe water were assessed. Selected States (Katsina, Kano, Osun, Benue; Bauchi, Gombe, and Kaduna) were visited to confirm methods of water supply. The study revealed that the national average of access to piped water supply, protected wells; borehole and water vendors were 17.5%; 12.8%; 11.6% and 4.0% respectively. The National average of access to safe water supply was 45.9 %. The study revealed that Taraba and Ebonyi States had the least access to piped water supply of 0.8% and 0.9% respectively. Kwara and Lagos States had the highest access to piped water supply of 59.5 % and 51.1% respectively. Taraba (12.7%) and Zamfara (21.7%) States were the lowest contributors to access to safe water supply. The effects of the selected factors on water supply and access to clean water in Nigeria were in order of land size of the State (F_36,1 = 222.10; p = 5.66 x 10^-10), number of Local Government Areas in the State (F_36,1 = 210.619; p=1.29 x 10^-16), hydrological areas (F₂₁₃ = 5.839; p=0.0046), geopolitical zones (F_15,3 = 5.40; p = 0.0096), year of State creation (F_3,3 = 8.497; p= 0.056) and presence of donors. Statistical analysis revealed that the selected factors were significant factors at 95% confidence level. The study concluded that States like Zamfara, Taraba, Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi needed to intensify their efforts to meet Millennium Development Goals and Vision 20: 20 of halving their population  with access to unsafe water supply by the year 2020.

Keywords: Access to Safe Water Supply Technologies, Piped Water, Borehole, Millennium Development Goals