World Water Day 2026: FG, National Assembly urged to constitute committee to address ‘water war’

As countries around the world celebrated the 2026 World Water Day on Sunday, a call has gone out to the Federal Government and the National Assembly to set up a high-level committee comprising stakeholders to look into the cushioning effect of the water war on the Nigerian economy.

The call was made by the founder, Global Initiative for Nigeria Development, Dr Michael Ale, while reacting to the ongoing Water War between US-Isreal and Iran which is on its fourth week, adding that its effect may snowball into livelihood distortion if no urgent measure is taken to cushion the effect.

Ale, who is currently in the United States of America to attend the 2026 Smart Water Policies conference, organised by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA), billed for Washington DC between March 24 and 25, posited that Nigeria, known for oil production, will sell its oil at a higher price and make more gains.

He stated that: “The cost of the end product from the oil sales increases from the usual N930 to N1,300 for petrol and N980 to N1,700 for AGO which can escalate more depending on the war reactions, especially if threats and other counter accusations between the war parties do not abate.

“With the current escalation and reason being water war on the waterways of the Strait of Hormuz controlled by Iran, it is evident that the power of water transients beyond women lived experience in water to economic and livelihood incarceration.

“The current situation does not even increase the prices of food, but the war escalation can lead to food hunger because women won’t go to farm, children won’t have energy to pump water, them produce cannot get to the market because of the increase in energy cost.

“On the occasion of the Water Day, my heart goes out to those that are directly affected by the outcome of the war in the Middle East, especially the women and children directly affected by the current war. While my sympathy remains with the women and children in Africa that are not resilient enough to witness this impending war outcome.”