The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief), the aid arm of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has announced plans to construct 78 solar-powered boreholes across Nigeria as part of its commitment to supporting humanitarian needs and enhancing access to clean water in underserved communities.
The project, which is being executed in collaboration with the Nigerian government and local implementing partners, will target areas with acute water shortages, particularly in rural and conflict-affected regions. The wells will be powered by solar energy and equipped with overhead tanks and taps to provide sustainable access to potable water for thousands of residents.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement in Abuja, the KSRelief Country Director in Nigeria, Dr. Khalid Al Othmani, said the initiative aligns with the Kingdom’s global humanitarian efforts and is aimed at improving health and hygiene, boosting livelihoods, and reducing water-related diseases in beneficiary communities.
“This intervention is one of many ways the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through KSRelief, continues to demonstrate its commitment to humanitarian assistance globally. Access to safe and clean water is a fundamental human right, and we are proud to contribute towards achieving this in Nigeria,” Al Othmani stated.
The water project, valued at over $5 million, will cover several states across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. According to officials, at least 13 states, including Borno, Yobe, Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kaduna, Sokoto, Bauchi, Jigawa, and Adamawa, will benefit from the wells.
KSRelief said it conducted thorough needs assessments in collaboration with local authorities and community leaders to determine the locations of the boreholes. Each solar-powered well is designed to serve up to 2,500 residents, with durability and climate resilience factored into the engineering designs.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Joseph Utsev, who lauded the initiative during the unveiling event, said the project would support Nigeria’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) goals and help bridge the rural-urban access gap.
“Saudi Arabia remains one of Nigeria’s strategic partners in humanitarian and development cooperation. This project will not only provide safe drinking water but also contribute to the socio-economic well-being of communities that have long suffered water scarcity,” Utsev noted.
Communities in the North-East, where insecurity and displacement have disrupted public services, are expected to be among the biggest beneficiaries of the KSRelief initiative. Humanitarian groups have repeatedly called for greater investments in clean water as a way of reducing child mortality and improving public health outcomes.
KSRelief has been actively involved in humanitarian projects across Nigeria in recent years, including food aid, health services, and support for internally displaced persons (IDPs). The solar well project is seen as a major milestone in the Centre’s expanding presence in sub-Saharan Africa.
Work on the boreholes is expected to commence in the third quarter of 2025, with completion slated for early 2026. Maintenance training and community sensitization will also be provided to ensure sustainability and ownership.
