Abia State scores $700 million World Bank deal for water project: What this means for the state’s future

• Abia State is among six states benefiting from a $700m World Bank water and sanitation programme (SURWASH).

• The project aims to improve access to clean water and hygiene services across urban and rural communities.

• The state is also advancing power reforms, with new licences issued and electricity restoration nearing completion.

• Additional projects include solar microgrids, revived water schemes, and new government appointments to support development.

Abia State has secured a major boost to its water and sanitation sector after being selected as one of six states to benefit from a $700 million programme funded by the World Bank.

The funding falls under the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) Programme, a large-scale initiative aimed at improving access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene services across participating states.

Speaking to journalists after the State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting chaired by Governor Alex Otti, the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, said the development reflects growing global confidence in the state’s governance.

“Of course we know SURWASH means Sustainable Urban, Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene.Abia State is getting all these recognitions and sponsorships around the globe because of what is going on in the state today. The massive transformation that has gone on in the state in various aspects of governance,” he said.

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He added that international development partners are increasingly paying attention to Abia due to ongoing reforms.

“So at every point, all these multilateral finance agencies look our way as a state,” he added.

Kanu also revealed that the previously suspended small-town WASH project funded by USAID has now resumed under a new arrangement with Mercy Corps. Work is expected to continue on water schemes in Ubakala and Ariaria, areas that have long struggled with consistent access to clean water.

Beyond water, the state is also pushing reforms in electricity supply. According to the commissioner, the Abia State Electricity Regulatory Agency has issued interim licences to three firms, New Era, Aba Power, and Geometric Power, to strengthen power distribution.

He described the ongoing effort as a “half-year power restoration project,” noting that it is already about 85 percent complete. Full electricity supply is expected to reach more areas, including Ohafia, before the end of the second quarter.

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In addition, the state has launched a 1.8-megawatt microgrid solar project to power major bus terminals in Umuahia and Aba. The move is part of a broader shift towards renewable energy and improved infrastructure.

On governance, Governor Otti approved key appointments, including Prof. Deka Chioma Okoropo as Chief Medical Director of Abia State University Teaching Hospital, and Dr. Nkiru Kachidia Maduwe as Project Coordinator for the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP).

As the governor approaches his third year in office, the administration says it will avoid elaborate celebrations.

“As has become traditional with this government, the third year anniversary will be celebrated not with pomp and pageantry, but rather with flag-offs and commissioning events,” Kanu stated.

Instead, the anniversary will focus on commissioning completed projects and launching new ones across the state’s three senatorial zones, while also reviewing progress so far.

The SURWASH funding is expected to significantly improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation, especially in underserved urban and rural communities. Combined with ongoing power and infrastructure projects, the development could mark a turning point in service delivery and quality of life for residents of Abia State.