OWORAC WARNS AGAINST WATER PRIVATISATION AGENDA IN AFRICA WATER VISION 2063, PUSHES FOR COMMUNITY-LED IMPLEMENTATION

OWORAC WARNS AGAINST WATER PRIVATISATION AGENDA IN AFRICA WATER VISION 2063, PUSHES FOR COMMUNITY-LED IMPLEMENTATION

By Prince Benson Davies

The Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC) has expressed reservations over the direction of Africa’s water policy as consultations advance on the Africa Water Vision 2063, cautioning that the increasing emphasis on privatisation could weaken public accountability and restrict access to safe water for millions across the continent.

The concerns were raised following a regional consultation in Abuja convened by the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) to shape the First Implementation Plan (2026–2033) for the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy. The meeting brought together representatives from the African Union, ECOWAS, development partners, and regional institutions at a time when the AU has declared 2026 the Year of “Ensuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”

In its statement, OWORAC warned that the growing focus on private sector participation, blended financing, and public-private partnerships creates pathways for greater privatisation of water services. The coalition noted that such models have historically led to higher tariffs, weaker public oversight, deteriorating labour conditions, and unequal access, particularly for low-income communities.

“Across Africa, such models have often resulted in rising water tariffs, weak public accountability, deteriorating labour conditions, and unequal access to water services,” the coalition stated. “When essential public services are transferred to corporate actors, the human right to water risks being subordinated to profit-driven interests.”

OWORAC further highlighted the marginalisation of water workers under privatised systems, arguing that any credible continental water strategy must treat communities and workers as central to governance and decision-making. The coalition maintained that water should be treated primarily as a public good and human right, not as an economic commodity driven by investor priorities.

The group also criticized the exclusion of affected communities, civil society organisations, and water workers’ unions from the Abuja consultation. While the Africa Water Vision 2063 commits to civil society inclusion in policy design and implementation, OWORAC observed that the Abuja meeting was dominated by government officials and regional institutions, leaving out the voices of those most impacted by water insecurity.

Drawing attention to Senegal’s role as current AMCOW chair, OWORAC cited ongoing concerns over urban water management in the country under Sen’Eau, a company largely controlled by Suez. Since 2020, communities have raised issues around rising costs, poor service delivery, and limited public oversight, alongside reported intimidation of unionised workers advocating for better conditions.

The coalition also pointed to Nigeria’s experience, where millions still lack reliable access to safe water despite the country’s influence in regional water policy. OWORAC noted that years of underinvestment in public systems and repeated attempts at privatisation have failed to improve delivery, while households continue to bear the financial burden through private vendors and informal sources.

OWORAC called on African governments, regional bodies, and development partners to anchor the implementation of Africa Water Vision 2063 on transparency, inclusiveness, and public control of water resources. It urged policymakers to strengthen public water systems, avoid policies that promote privatisation, and institutionalize structured participation for communities, workers, and civil society in water governance.

The coalition stressed that the future of Africa’s water must remain in the hands of the people who rely on it daily. OWORAC is a network of grassroots organisations, trade unions, activists, and civil society groups from nearly a dozen African countries working to ensure that access to clean, affordable water is recognized and protected as a fundamental right.