
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised an alarm that water could soon become a highly precious commodity in Nigeria.
UNICEF’s Representative in Nigeria, Christiane Munduate, issued the warning during an interview with journalists in Sokoto on Thursday.
Munduate warned that if authorities in Nigeria failed to address environmental challenges and combat the effects of climate change, there would be water scarcity across several communities.
She said environmental degradation and improper waste management practices were aggravating water scarcity in the country.
The official urged the authorities to enforce existing laws to curb the indiscriminate use and disposal of plastic and polythene materials, which were harming the environment.
She said: “In Nigeria, water will become the most precious commodity or product in the future. “This will surpass the current value of solid minerals, oil and gas resources.”