Africa is rich in water resources, home to powerful rivers and vast lakes. Yet millions of people across the continent still lack access to clean drinking water. While there have been notable successes such as the Kariba Dam, many hydroelectric and water projects have either stalled or sparked conflict between countries, as in the case of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
At the same time, Africa’s water reserves are under threat. Lake Chad has shrunk by 60% in recent decades, and fish stocks in Lake Victoria are dwindling due to the spread of invasive water hyacinth. Pollution is affecting rivers and lakes across the continent, and much of their potential remains untapped. These waterways could be generating electricity, serving as transport routes, and supporting agriculture, but that vision has yet to be realized.
The root causes of Africa’s water crisis include insufficient investment, weak regional coordination, and outdated colonial-era agreements. Can the continent develop a unified strategy for managing its water wealth? Will modernized legislation and initiatives like ‘Agenda 2063’ offer a solution?
