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Nestlé launches campaign to combat unsafe water crisis
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Nigeria loses an estimated N455 billion every year due to poor sanitation, while more than 113 million Nigerians lack access to safe drinking water.
Citing the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) 2024 research, Nestlé Nigeria said the situation is contributing to the death of nearly 87,000 children under five annually from diarrhoea and waterborne diseases.
The company, in response to this urgent crisis, disclosed that it was launching its Water Quality Advocacy Campaign to raise awareness and mobilise action across the country.
Speaking at the campaign launch in Abuja on Wednesday, August 27, Corporate Communications and Sustainability Lead at Nestlé Nigeria, Victoria Uwadoka, explained that the initiative aims to engage government, industry, media, academia, civil society, and communities to ensure safe water is accessible, trusted, and sustainable, as well as close the knowledge gap on safety.
According to her, “Nestlé Quality Water Advocacy Campaign will leverage various channels to equip people with the information they need to improve the quality of the water they use within their homes and their communities.
“The first phase of the campaign was the engagement of critical stakeholders, the second phase is the launch which we are here to announce, and the third is the deployment of the campaign across print, broadcast, and social media. We will also deploy through grassroots mobilisation and community events.”
Also speaking, Business Executive Officer at Nestlé Waters and Premium Beverages, Olutayo Olatunji, highlighted the company’s 13-step quality assurance process for Nestlé Pure Life, stressing that quality water is achievable and essential for health and development.
According to him, “Today, clean, quality water is the most essential nutrient, the cornerstone of health, and the basis of sustainable communities. Yet, it is often taken for granted until its absence or contamination threatens lives.
“At Nestlé, we believe that advocacy for quality water must go beyond access to volume; it must ensure safety, reliability, and trust. That is what this campaign is about: equipping families, schools, and communities with knowledge and practices that protect their health through safe hydration.”
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Utsev, said water quality management is a key priority for the Federal Government for the general well-being of the populace.
Represented by Deputy Director, Environment, Health and Sanitation, Mrs Rita Okea, the Minister noted that the Federal Government has developed innovative solutions, leveraged technology, and strengthened collaboration with local and international partners as part of efforts to safeguard available water for consumption.
He commended Nestlé’s initiative, describing it as timely and transformative and urged all stakeholders to turn advocacy into action.
“Although the journey to achieve universal access to safe water for sustainable public health is long and challenging, it is also filled with opportunities. To overcome the obstacles that stand in our way and create lasting change, this advocacy by Nestlé highlights a shared responsibility. It challenges us, the government, private sector, academia, civil society, and development partners to take decisive steps. We must invest more in water quality monitoring, enforce standards, raise public awareness, and most importantly, empower communities to be custodians of the very water they drink.
“With every borehole tested, every river monitored, and every child protected from waterborne diseases is a victory we cannot afford to delay,” he declared.
The campaign is expected to roll out across print, broadcast, social media, and grassroots platforms to build a nationwide movement for water safety and sustainability.