A Netherlands-funded Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) initiative designed to benefit about 360,000 people across four Local Government Areas in Adamawa and Kaduna States has officially commenced.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, during the Annual Review Meeting of the Accelerating Sanitation and Water for All (ASWA III–DGIS) Project in Abuja on Tuesday.

He was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah.

Prof. Utsev said the Federal Government remains committed to strengthening partnerships, scaling up interventions, and accelerating progress in the WASH sector. He explained that the ASWA project, funded by the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is implemented by UNICEF in collaboration with the Nigerian government to advance the Sustainable Development Goals related to water and sanitation.

“ASWA III aims to provide climate-resilient WASH services to at least 360,000 people across four LGAs in Adamawa and Kaduna States. This new phase places stronger emphasis on system strengthening, clean energy adoption, public-private partnerships, and market-based service delivery,” he said.

The Minister urged Adamawa and Kaduna States to take full advantage of the initiative, and disclosed that 151 Local Government Areas across 21 states have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF).

Speaking at the event, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Nigeria, H.E. Bengt van Loosdrecht, highlighted his country’s expertise in water management, climate resilience, and innovative service delivery.

Also addressing the gathering, UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Wafaa Saeed, noted Nigeria’s progress since joining ASWA II in 2019, which laid the foundation for the current phase.

She stressed that ASWA III goes beyond service delivery to focus on communication, resilience, and sustainability.