The Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition OWORAC has raised concerns about Africa’s growing push towards water privatisation and the seeming exclusion of affected communities and groups in the implementation of the Africa Water Vision AWV 2063, warning that such an approach could undermine public accountability and, ultimately, access to safe water across the continent.

The coalition’s concerns followed a recent regional consultation in Abuja hosted by the African Ministers’ Council on Water AMCOW as part of ongoing continental consultations on the First Implementation Plan 2026–2033 of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy.

The meeting, which brought together representatives of the African Union AU the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS, development partners, and regional institutions, comes at a significant political moment following the African Union’s adoption of 2026 as the Year of “Ensuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”

In a statement, OWORAC warned that the growing emphasis on private sector participation, blended financing models, and public-private partnerships in the water sector opens the door to increased privatisation of water services across Africa.

“Across Africa, such models have often resulted in rising water tariffs, weak public accountability, deteriorating labour conditions, and unequal access to water services,” the coalition stated. “When essential public services are transferred to corporate actors, the human right to water risks being subordinated to profit-driven interests.”

OWORAC also noted that water workers across the continent are increasingly becoming marginalised, victimised, or pushed into precarious working conditions under privatised systems, warning that any serious African water vision must recognise not only communities but also workers as central stakeholders in public water governance.

The coalition acknowledged the importance of investing in water infrastructure but warned against treating water primarily as an economic commodity.

“Water is first and foremost a public good and a human right,” the coalition stated. “Policies that prioritise investor confidence over universal access and public accountability, risk deepening inequality and worsening water insecurity for poor and vulnerable communities.”

OWORAC noted that although the AWV 2063 commits to the inclusion of civil society in the co-design and implementation of the policy framework, the Abuja consultation appeared to be dominated largely by government officials and regional institutions.