Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria

Nsikan Affiah; Sunkanmi Fadoju; Chigozie Nsobundu; Aishatu Mohammed; Ndifreke James; Joseph Miracle Abu

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16

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Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria

Nsikan Affiah^*

, Sunkanmi Fadoju

, Chigozie Nsobundu

, Aishatu Mohammed

, Ndifreke James

, Joseph Miracle Abu

Published in International Journal of Sustainable Development Research (Volume 11, Issue 4)

Received: 7 November 2025 Accepted: 9 December 2025 Published: 31 December 2025

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Abstract

Water utilities are vital for urban health and economic growth, but face sustainability challenges, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, despite long-term investment, urban water utilities struggle with operational inefficiencies, frequent service interruptions, high non-revenue water, and low customer satisfaction. This study examined how performance monitoring can improve the operational sustainability of State Water Utilities in Nigeria. The objectives were to assess institutional performance monitoring practices and to evaluate the use of key performance indicators in tracking operations. A mixed-methods, cross-sectional case study was conducted in six urban utilities across six states. The data was collected in September 2022 through document re-views, structured questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data; NVivo facilitated qualitative thematic analysis. Findings show all utilities have functional M&E departments responsible for performance monitoring activities, but M&E plan implementation varies (50%), with notable capacity gaps, inconsistent data management (only one utility has a Data Management Plan), and 7–22 indicators per utility. Baseline and target-setting are weak (pre-sent in 50% of utilities), and dissemination beyond internal reporting is limited. Recommendations include institutional reforms, capacity development, allocating 10% of budgets to performance monitoring, and embedding adaptive learning to enhance sustainability, effectiveness, and public trust.

Published in	International Journal of Sustainable Development Research (Volume 11, Issue 4)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16
Page(s)	232-238
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Performance Monitoring, Urban Water Utilities, Sustainability, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

References

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[2]	Hatry, H. P. Performance Measurement: Getting Results. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: Urban Institute Press; 2006.
[3]	UNICEF, WHO. Progress on Household Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene 2000–2020: Five Years into the SDGs. Geneva: World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund; 2021. https://data.unicef.org/resources/jmp-2021-wash-households-report/
[4]	World Bank. Federal Ministry of Water Resources (FMWR), Government of Nigeria, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and UNICEF. Washington, DC: World Bank; 2022.
[5]	United Nations. Sustainable Development Goal 6 Synthesis Report on Water and Sanitation 2018. New York: United Nations; 2018. https://www.unwater.org/publications/sdg-6-synthesis-report-2018
[6]	Van den Berg, C., Danilenko, A. Performance of Water Utilities in Africa. Washington, DC: World Bank; 2017. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1172-6
[7]	Macheve, B., Danilenko, A., Abdullah, R., Bove, A., Moffitt, L. J. State Water Agencies in Nigeria: A Performance Assessment. 3 Washington, DC: World Bank; 2015.
[8]	Federal Ministry of Water Resources, National Bureau of Statistics, UNICEF. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASH NORM) 2019. Abuja: Federal Ministry of Water Resources, NBS, and UNICEF; 2020.
[9]	World Health Organization. Monitoring, Evaluation and Review of National Health Strategies: A Country-Led Platform for Information and Accountability. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2023.
[10]	UNAIDS Monitoring and Evaluation Reference Group (MERG). M&E System Strengthening Tool: 12 Components of a Functional M&E System. Geneva: UNAIDS; 2008.
[11]	Creswell, J. W., Plano Clark, V. L. Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications; 2017.
[12]	Mugisha, S., Berg, S. Financial Viability of African Water Utilities: A Survey of Performance and Challenges. Water Policy. 2018, 20(3), 517-531. https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2018.067
[13]	Mutikanga, P. E., Sharma, S. K., Vairavamoorthy, K. Methods of Assessing and Monitoring Non-Revenue Water in Urban Water Systems. Water Resources Management. 2013, 27(3), 1109-1125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-012-0221-3
[14]	Patton, M. Q. Developmental Evaluation: Applying Complexity Concepts to Enhance Innovation and Use. 4 New York, NY: Guilford Press; 2011, pp. 45-60.
[15]	Bakker, S. The Privatization of Urban Water Supply: A Global Survey of Issues and Experiences. In Water Crisis: Myth or Reality?, Springer; 2012, pp. 201-220. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1601-5_15
[16]	Olotu, A. Institutional Capacity Gaps in Monitoring and Evaluation for Public Sector Projects in Nigeria. Journal of Policy and Development Studies. 2020, 14(3), 18-30.
[17]	Smith, T., Jones, R. Data Governance Frameworks for WASH Information Systems in West Africa. In Proceedings of the 10th International WASH Conference, Accra, Ghana, 2023; pp. 112–120.
[18]	Ramalingam, B., et al. The Power of Learning: Why Adaptive Management is Essential for Effective Development. London, UK: Overseas Development Institute (ODI); 2018.
[19]	Abubakar, A. Governance and Institutional Challenges Facing Water Utilities in Northern Nigeria. Ph.D. Thesis, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, 22 June 2024.
[20]	Arlosoroff, S., et al. Key Performance Indicators for Water Utilities: A Global Benchmarking Guide. New York, NY: International Water Association (IWA) Publishing; 2019, pp. 5-15.

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Affiah, N., Fadoju, S., Nsobundu, C., Mohammed, A., James, N., et al. (2025). Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria. International Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 11(4), 232-238. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16

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ACS Style

Affiah, N.; Fadoju, S.; Nsobundu, C.; Mohammed, A.; James, N., et al. Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria. Int. J. Sustain. Dev. Res. 2025, 11(4), 232-238. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16

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AMA Style

Affiah N, Fadoju S, Nsobundu C, Mohammed A, James N, et al. Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria. Int J Sustain Dev Res. 2025;11(4):232-238. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16

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@article{10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16,
  author = {Nsikan Affiah and Sunkanmi Fadoju and Chigozie Nsobundu and Aishatu Mohammed and Ndifreke James and Joseph Miracle Abu},
  title = {Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria},
  journal = {International Journal of Sustainable Development Research},
  volume = {11},
  number = {4},
  pages = {232-238},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsdr.20251104.16},
  abstract = {Water utilities are vital for urban health and economic growth, but face sustainability challenges, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, despite long-term investment, urban water utilities struggle with operational inefficiencies, frequent service interruptions, high non-revenue water, and low customer satisfaction. This study examined how performance monitoring can improve the operational sustainability of State Water Utilities in Nigeria. The objectives were to assess institutional performance monitoring practices and to evaluate the use of key performance indicators in tracking operations. A mixed-methods, cross-sectional case study was conducted in six urban utilities across six states. The data was collected in September 2022 through document re-views, structured questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data; NVivo facilitated qualitative thematic analysis. Findings show all utilities have functional M&E departments responsible for performance monitoring activities, but M&E plan implementation varies (50%), with notable capacity gaps, inconsistent data management (only one utility has a Data Management Plan), and 7–22 indicators per utility. Baseline and target-setting are weak (pre-sent in 50% of utilities), and dissemination beyond internal reporting is limited. Recommendations include institutional reforms, capacity development, allocating 10% of budgets to performance monitoring, and embedding adaptive learning to enhance sustainability, effectiveness, and public trust.},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria
AU  - Nsikan Affiah
AU  - Sunkanmi Fadoju
AU  - Chigozie Nsobundu
AU  - Aishatu Mohammed
AU  - Ndifreke James
AU  - Joseph Miracle Abu
Y1  - 2025/12/31
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16
T2  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
JF  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
JO  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
SP  - 232
EP  - 238
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1832
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16
AB  - Water utilities are vital for urban health and economic growth, but face sustainability challenges, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, despite long-term investment, urban water utilities struggle with operational inefficiencies, frequent service interruptions, high non-revenue water, and low customer satisfaction. This study examined how performance monitoring can improve the operational sustainability of State Water Utilities in Nigeria. The objectives were to assess institutional performance monitoring practices and to evaluate the use of key performance indicators in tracking operations. A mixed-methods, cross-sectional case study was conducted in six urban utilities across six states. The data was collected in September 2022 through document re-views, structured questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data; NVivo facilitated qualitative thematic analysis. Findings show all utilities have functional M&E departments responsible for performance monitoring activities, but M&E plan implementation varies (50%), with notable capacity gaps, inconsistent data management (only one utility has a Data Management Plan), and 7–22 indicators per utility. Baseline and target-setting are weak (pre-sent in 50% of utilities), and dissemination beyond internal reporting is limited. Recommendations include institutional reforms, capacity development, allocating 10% of budgets to performance monitoring, and embedding adaptive learning to enhance sustainability, effectiveness, and public trust.
VL  - 11
IS  - 4
ER  -

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Author Information

Nsikan Affiah

Malweng Nigeria Limited, Abuja, Nigeria

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2492-7818
Sunkanmi Fadoju

Young Africa International, Abuja, Nigeria

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0005-0786-2134
Chigozie Nsobundu

The World Bank Office, Abuja, Nigeria

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0002-4970-3471
Aishatu Mohammed

Niger State Water and Sewage Corporation, Minna, Nigeria

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0003-0113-2777
Ndifreke James

ZOA International, Maiduguri, Nigeria

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0009-9588-8279
Joseph Miracle Abu

Ipsos International, Lagos, Nigeria

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0008-5515-7431

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APA Style

Affiah, N., Fadoju, S., Nsobundu, C., Mohammed, A., James, N., et al. (2025). Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria. International Journal of Sustainable Development Research, 11(4), 232-238. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16

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ACS Style

Affiah, N.; Fadoju, S.; Nsobundu, C.; Mohammed, A.; James, N., et al. Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria. Int. J. Sustain. Dev. Res. 2025, 11(4), 232-238. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16

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AMA Style

Affiah N, Fadoju S, Nsobundu C, Mohammed A, James N, et al. Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria. Int J Sustain Dev Res. 2025;11(4):232-238. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16,
  author = {Nsikan Affiah and Sunkanmi Fadoju and Chigozie Nsobundu and Aishatu Mohammed and Ndifreke James and Joseph Miracle Abu},
  title = {Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria},
  journal = {International Journal of Sustainable Development Research},
  volume = {11},
  number = {4},
  pages = {232-238},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsdr.20251104.16},
  abstract = {Water utilities are vital for urban health and economic growth, but face sustainability challenges, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, despite long-term investment, urban water utilities struggle with operational inefficiencies, frequent service interruptions, high non-revenue water, and low customer satisfaction. This study examined how performance monitoring can improve the operational sustainability of State Water Utilities in Nigeria. The objectives were to assess institutional performance monitoring practices and to evaluate the use of key performance indicators in tracking operations. A mixed-methods, cross-sectional case study was conducted in six urban utilities across six states. The data was collected in September 2022 through document re-views, structured questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data; NVivo facilitated qualitative thematic analysis. Findings show all utilities have functional M&E departments responsible for performance monitoring activities, but M&E plan implementation varies (50%), with notable capacity gaps, inconsistent data management (only one utility has a Data Management Plan), and 7–22 indicators per utility. Baseline and target-setting are weak (pre-sent in 50% of utilities), and dissemination beyond internal reporting is limited. Recommendations include institutional reforms, capacity development, allocating 10% of budgets to performance monitoring, and embedding adaptive learning to enhance sustainability, effectiveness, and public trust.},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Bridging the Sustainability Gap in Urban Water Utilities Through Performance Monitoring: A Case Study of Selected Urban Water Utilities in Nigeria
AU  - Nsikan Affiah
AU  - Sunkanmi Fadoju
AU  - Chigozie Nsobundu
AU  - Aishatu Mohammed
AU  - Ndifreke James
AU  - Joseph Miracle Abu
Y1  - 2025/12/31
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16
T2  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
JF  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
JO  - International Journal of Sustainable Development Research
SP  - 232
EP  - 238
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-1832
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsdr.20251104.16
AB  - Water utilities are vital for urban health and economic growth, but face sustainability challenges, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Nigeria, despite long-term investment, urban water utilities struggle with operational inefficiencies, frequent service interruptions, high non-revenue water, and low customer satisfaction. This study examined how performance monitoring can improve the operational sustainability of State Water Utilities in Nigeria. The objectives were to assess institutional performance monitoring practices and to evaluate the use of key performance indicators in tracking operations. A mixed-methods, cross-sectional case study was conducted in six urban utilities across six states. The data was collected in September 2022 through document re-views, structured questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze quantitative data; NVivo facilitated qualitative thematic analysis. Findings show all utilities have functional M&E departments responsible for performance monitoring activities, but M&E plan implementation varies (50%), with notable capacity gaps, inconsistent data management (only one utility has a Data Management Plan), and 7–22 indicators per utility. Baseline and target-setting are weak (pre-sent in 50% of utilities), and dissemination beyond internal reporting is limited. Recommendations include institutional reforms, capacity development, allocating 10% of budgets to performance monitoring, and embedding adaptive learning to enhance sustainability, effectiveness, and public trust.
VL  - 11
IS  - 4
ER  -

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