Web-series "ACTIVATE" from National Geographic x Global Citizen raise safe water issues in Nigeria - part two : the results.

This article follow up the recap of the Web-series episode "Clean water" I did in my previous article. For a better understanding, please read it before !

The campaign's result : the World Water Day conference.

During the talks organized by the United Nations, several States pledge for action in the water sector :

- The Cross River State promised clean water and sanitation for everyone;

- The Edo State said they will therefore include clean water and sanitation issues in their budget;

- The Ondo State agreed on ending open defecation by 2025;

For Global Citizen, these declarations were a good start to encourage the other States to get engaged as well.

The Federal Minister of Water Resources of Nigeria was also attending, which was a good thing because the Federal State is the government that has the most to do about the water issue, because it is supposed to give outlines to their different States, but obviously doesn't really do it. 

In front of him, Aduba shared what she saw in the different villages during the last days, and the Minister told her off-stage that he was aware of the villages situation and said that these people doesn't deserve this. Is it a beginning of an awareness from the Federal State ? Or is it just common knowledge of authorities who can't or don't want to act for some reason ?

(Aduba with the Minister for Water Resources at WWD)

Still, the campaign worked in some ways. Two months after the WWD talks, the three States that pledge to take action announced their budget for the water situation, and it's meeting Global Citizen's expectations :

- Ondo State is going to devote 27.72 million USD;

- Edo State put 15 million USD on the table;

- Cross River State added 5 million USD to the 3 million they were already using every year since 2016;

On this success, Global Citizen expanded their campaign to 7 more States in Nigeria.