Water Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa
Dursun Yıldız
Director
Hydropolitics Academy
27 Dec.2025
840 million people or 68% of the population had access to at least basic improved water in 2024, up from 587 million people (59% of population) ten years prior. But the number of people with this level of access remains unacceptably low in rural areas at only 53% in 2024 (up from 44% in 2014), according to the 2025 Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report which tracks Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene data. Progress on sanitation is also slow, hovering at a third of the population in 2015 and 2024. Because progress has not kept up with demographic growth, that means more people are living without basic sanitation in 2024 than in 2015 (803 million vs. 686 million, nine years ago).
This gap is rooted in service delivery failure, lack of sector prioritization and weak governance, and results in lost productivity, stunted children, and persistent poverty, all exacerbated by climate shocks such as droughts and floods. Women and girls shoulder a disproportionate burden, often spending hours each day collecting water, which limits their opportunities for education and participation in the economy
According to JMP 2025 report, 281 million people in Eastern and Southern Africa (2024 data, excluding Eritrea and Sudan) did not have access to basic drinking water services, and 476 million people lacked access to basic sanitation services. The situation is worse in rural areas than in the cities.
About 82% of the population without access to basic sanitation live in 8 countries – Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique and Angola in that order. For drinking water, 82% of the underserved live in Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, Angola and Mozambique (in that order).
Water Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa: Power, Scarcity, and Cooperation
Water politics in Sub-Saharan Africa is shaped by a complex interaction of water scarcity, shared river basins, state power asymmetries, and climate variability. In the region, water is not only a natural resource but also a strategic asset that influences development, food security, and regional stability.
Sub-Saharan Africa hosts both water-abundant and water-stressed areas. Large river systems such as the Nile, Niger, Congo, Zambezi, and Senegal basins cross multiple national borders. However, hydrological endowment (hidrolojik donanım) is uneven, and rainfall is highly variable. Climate change has intensified hydrological extremes—longer droughts and more intense floods—making water availability increasingly unpredictable.
Transboundary Rivers and Power Asymmetry
Most major rivers are transboundary rivers (sınır aşan nehirler), meaning that upstream decisions directly affect downstream countries. This creates hydro-political asymmetry (hidropolitik güç dengesizliği). Upstream states with stronger political or economic capacity often gain greater control over water infrastructure, such as dams and reservoirs. The Nile Basin is a clear example, where infrastructure development has reshaped long-standing political balances and triggered intense diplomatic negotiations.
In many Sub-Saharan African countries, water infrastructure—dams, irrigation schemes, and urban supply systems—is closely linked to development narratives and state legitimacy. Governments present large water projects as symbols of modernization and economic growth. Yet, weak institutional capacity and limited financing often constrain effective water governance (su yönetişimi), leading to inequitable access and social tensions.
Climate Change Effects
Climate change acts as a risk multiplier rather than a direct cause of conflict. Reduced rainfall, declining groundwater, and ecosystem degradation amplify existing political and social vulnerabilities. Competition over water increasingly intersects with food security, energy production, and migration, turning water into a central element of broader human security debates.
Conclusion
Despite these challenges, Sub-Saharan Africa also offers examples of cooperative water governance. River basin organizations and regional frameworks promote data sharing, joint planning, and benefit-sharing approaches. While often under-resourced, these mechanisms show that water can serve as a platform for diplomacy and cooperation, not only conflict.
Water politics in Sub-Saharan Africa is not simply about scarcity; it is about power, governance, and adaptation. As climate pressures grow, the future stability of the region will increasingly depend on the ability of states to transform shared waters from sources of competition into instruments of regional cooperation and sustainable development.
^
Water Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa
Dursun Yıldız
Director
Hydropolitics Academy
27 Dec.2025
840 million people or 68% of the population had access to at least basic improved water in 2024, up from 587 million people (59% of population) ten years prior. But the number of people with this level of access remains unacceptably low in rural areas at only 53% in 2024 (up from 44% in 2014), according to the 2025 Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report which tracks Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene data. Progress on sanitation is also slow, hovering at a third of the population in 2015 and 2024. Because progress has not kept up with demographic growth, that means more people are living without basic sanitation in 2024 than in 2015 (803 million vs. 686 million, nine years ago).
This gap is rooted in service delivery failure, lack of sector prioritization and weak governance, and results in lost productivity, stunted children, and persistent poverty, all exacerbated by climate shocks such as droughts and floods. Women and girls shoulder a disproportionate burden, often spending hours each day collecting water, which limits their opportunities for education and participation in the economy
According to JMP 2025 report, 281 million people in Eastern and Southern Africa (2024 data, excluding Eritrea and Sudan) did not have access to basic drinking water services, and 476 million people lacked access to basic sanitation services. The situation is worse in rural areas than in the cities.
About 82% of the population without access to basic sanitation live in 8 countries – Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique and Angola in that order. For drinking water, 82% of the underserved live in Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Madagascar, Angola and Mozambique (in that order).
Water Politics in Sub-Saharan Africa: Power, Scarcity, and Cooperation
Water politics in Sub-Saharan Africa is shaped by a complex interaction of water scarcity, shared river basins, state power asymmetries, and climate variability. In the region, water is not only a natural resource but also a strategic asset that influences development, food security, and regional stability.
Sub-Saharan Africa hosts both water-abundant and water-stressed areas. Large river systems such as the Nile, Niger, Congo, Zambezi, and Senegal basins cross multiple national borders. However, hydrological endowment (hidrolojik donanım) is uneven, and rainfall is highly variable. Climate change has intensified hydrological extremes—longer droughts and more intense floods—making water availability increasingly unpredictable.
Transboundary Rivers and Power Asymmetry
Most major rivers are transboundary rivers (sınır aşan nehirler), meaning that upstream decisions directly affect downstream countries. This creates hydro-political asymmetry (hidropolitik güç dengesizliği). Upstream states with stronger political or economic capacity often gain greater control over water infrastructure, such as dams and reservoirs. The Nile Basin is a clear example, where infrastructure development has reshaped long-standing political balances and triggered intense diplomatic negotiations.
In many Sub-Saharan African countries, water infrastructure—dams, irrigation schemes, and urban supply systems—is closely linked to development narratives and state legitimacy. Governments present large water projects as symbols of modernization and economic growth. Yet, weak institutional capacity and limited financing often constrain effective water governance (su yönetişimi), leading to inequitable access and social tensions.
Climate Change Effects
Climate change acts as a risk multiplier rather than a direct cause of conflict. Reduced rainfall, declining groundwater, and ecosystem degradation amplify existing political and social vulnerabilities. Competition over water increasingly intersects with food security, energy production, and migration, turning water into a central element of broader human security debates.
Conclusion
Despite these challenges, Sub-Saharan Africa also offers examples of cooperative water governance. River basin organizations and regional frameworks promote data sharing, joint planning, and benefit-sharing approaches. While often under-resourced, these mechanisms show that water can serve as a platform for diplomacy and cooperation, not only conflict.
Water politics in Sub-Saharan Africa is not simply about scarcity; it is about power, governance, and adaptation. As climate pressures grow, the future stability of the region will increasingly depend on the ability of states to transform shared waters from sources of competition into instruments of regional cooperation and sustainable development.
^
