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Titre : Resilience of Socio-Ecological Systems : Are Water Vendors, an indication of Socio-Ecological Resilience in the Nigerian Water Sector ?

Auteur : Omotomilola Tolulope Ikotun

Université de soutenance : University of Eastern Finland

Grade : Master Thesis 2018

Résumé
The Nigerian State made up of 180million people has undergone several years of disruption, mismanagement of funds and creation of territories and states along the lines of political alliances. Thus, the Nigerian State has become a behemoth of decaying infrastructure, of note is the continued downward spiral in the Water Supply Sector. The Nigerian Water Sector has undergone a crisis as a sector, the supply for domestic purposes has been neglected due to the frequent mergers with other sectors and unfocused policy constructs. This has resulted in a high percentage of urban and semi-urban dwellers in Nigeria patronising water vendors (mai ruwas) as their primary source of water supply. Mai ruwa is a Hausa word which means “water seller”. Using the Resilience Theory, some of the disruptions and the location of the problems are identified and have led to the emergence of Mai ruwas. The Adaptive Cycle which sits at the centre of the Resilience theory shows that Mai Ruwas have been birthed during the transition cycle which opens up opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs. When disruption paves ways for smallscale adaptations, such is attributed to the resilience of the sector ; the Nigerian Government has however failed to utilise this strong trait for the good of its people. This Study has identified these Water Vendors as a medium to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal which can be done through Private Sector Participation contracts between the failing Utility and registered vendors. Further research is needed to understand how to adequately regulate socioecological systems in developing countries and how to stem the loss of resilience while establishing efficient regulatory regimes

Mots clés : Nigeria, Water Supply Crisis, Socioecological Resilience, Adaptive Cycle, Water Vendors, Mai Ruwa, Sustainable Development Goals

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