Nigeria’s water crisis will come under international scrutiny in Copenhagen this month as Lokoja Dialogues takes its Broken Water Cycle initiative to UN City.

The project examines the consequences of failing water systems on people, communities and economies, against the backdrop of Nigeria’s paradox of significant freshwater resources and unequal access to safe and reliable water.

Polly Alakija, Founder and Convenor of Lokoja Dialogues, described the situation as ‘paradise simultaneously experiencing severe water stress.’ She had also warned that Nigeria’s broken water cycle was threatening livelihoods, food production and public health.

The programme is scheduled to run from 8 to 22 and will be hosted by the UNFPA Nordic Representation Office in collaboration with Shoreline, alongside Nigerian and international partners.

Activities will include an exhibition, 90-minute dialogue sessions, public engagement and study visits.

According to the organisers, Nigeria’s water challenges are rooted not only in availability but also in management, financing and connectivity. They noted that degradation in one part of the water system, including upstream deforestation or damming, can affect downstream farming, energy, cities and ecosystems.

The exhibition will place communities and their experiences at the centre of the discussion rather than focusing solely on statistics. It will feature stories of communities adapting to changing landscapes, women dealing with water collection and farmers facing increasingly unpredictable rainfall.

The forum will also examine infrastructure and financing models, including the roles of government, development finance, philanthropy and private capital.

Twelve themes will guide the programme. They include water stress and security, infrastructure and financing, women in water governance, sustainable cities, AI and water security, and water diplomacy.

Source: The Guardian