The First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, has called for renewed commitment to equitable access to water and sanitation, describing it as a cornerstone for advancing gender equality nationwide.
In a message to celebrate World Water Day 2026, observed on March 22, Tinubu cited the year’s theme, Water and Gender, alongside the campaign slogan, Where Water Flows, Equality Grows.
She said persistent gaps in access to clean and safe water continue to weigh most heavily on women and girls.
Across many communities, she maintained, women and girls remain responsible for sourcing water for household use, often travelling long distances to streams and water points.
The burden, she explained, comes at a direct cost to education, health and economic opportunity.
Tinubu argued that improving access to potable water would deliver benefits far beyond meeting basic needs.
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Reliable water supply, she said, enables girls to stay in school, supports women’s participation in productive work and improves public health outcomes for families.
She urged governments at all levels, development partners and local communities to work together to close access gaps and adopt inclusive policies that place gender equity at their core.
Sustainable investment in water infrastructure and sanitation services, she added, is essential to national development and improved quality of life.
“Let us work together to ensure that where water flows in Nigeria, equity truly grows,” she said.
World Water Day is honoured annually to draw attention to the importance of freshwater and to promote the sustainable management of water resources worldwide.