Economic and Social Effects of Water Shortages in Nigeria: An Empirical Survey in Sumaila Town, Kano State, Nigeria

Water shortages impose substantial economic and social burdens on households in semi-arid northern Nigeria, yet localized evidence is needed to guide municipal planning and humanitarian intervention. This study examines the economic and social effects of water shortages in Sumaila Town, Kano State, using primary data from 400 households selected through stratified random sampling. A structured questionnaire captured household demographics, water-source reliability, expenditure, income loss, health costs, time spent collecting water, children’s school attendance, and migration intentions. Descriptive results show that 68.8 percent of households experienced daily or near-daily shortages, while 57.3 percent spent more than two hours daily fetching water. Mean monthly water expenditure was ₦9,842, and 41.5 percent of households reported income losses attributable to water-related illness, productive-time loss, or reduced trading activity. Chi-square tests revealed significant associations between shortage severity and income loss, health expenditure, school absenteeism, and migration intentions. Regression analysis indicated that time spent fetching water, water expenditure, illness episodes, and household poverty status significantly predicted income loss, while collection time and female-headed household status predicted child absenteeism. The findings demonstrate that unreliable water supply functions as both an economic shock and a social constraint, disproportionately affecting poor households, women, and school-age children. The study recommends expanded borehole coverage, rehabilitation of distribution networks, subsidized water vending regulation, school water facilities, and targeted support for female-headed households.