The Nigerian Senate has rejected the contentious National Water Resources Bill, 2023, which sought to transfer control of water resources from the states to the federal government.

Proposed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017, the bill aimed to establish various bodies responsible for regulating and managing Nigeria’s water resources.

However, the rejection by the Senate effectively puts an end to the bill’s progression and resolves the controversy surrounding it.

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Senator Gabriel Suswan raised a rule demanding full details of the bill before its concurrence, which was supported by Senator James Manager.

Following the ruling by Senate President Ahmad Lawan, concurrence to the bill was withheld.

The House of Representatives had previously passed the bill in 2020 amidst public skepticism, with consultations held with relevant authorities.