Sanitation Diplomacy and Nigeria’s Engagement with International Water Governance Frameworks

This study examines Nigeria's engagement with international frameworks on water governance and sanitation, assessing the gap between commitments made in multilateral settings and the domestic provision of safe water and sanitation across Nigeria's geopolitical zones. Access to clean water and adequate sanitation remains a critical development challenge in Nigeria, with significant disparities between urban and rural populations and between geopolitical zones, with the North West and North East zones reporting the lowest coverage rates. Nigeria is a signatory to global water governance commitments under the SDGs and participates in international water cooperation bodies. Drawing on global environmental governance theory and compliance frameworks, this research analyses Nigeria's water diplomacy posture from 2019 to 2024, examining its participation in United Nations water summits, bilateral water agreements with Niger Republic over shared river systems, and domestic implementation of water investment commitments. The study employs a qualitative methodology, combining document analysis of national water policy documents, UN-Water reports, and World Health Organisation assessments with interviews with water sector officials. Findings are expected to show that Nigeria's international commitments on water governance are largely rhetorical, with domestic investment falling short of the infrastructure requirements to meet its treaty obligations. Recommendations address financing mechanisms and inter-ministerial coordination. Keywords: water diplomacy, sanitation, Nigeria, international governance, SDG 6.