A launch workshop has concluded in Nairobi for the Kenya National Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Program (NUWSSP), a Bank-financed national initiative aimed at improving urban water and sanitation services across the country. Held from 8 to 10 April, the workshop marked the beginning of implementation planning for a programme expected to benefit millions of people through expanded access to clean water and improved sanitation infrastructure.
The session brought together officials from the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation and project management teams from 13 county water agencies. Participants received orientation on key implementation requirements, including financial management, environmental and social safeguards, gender considerations, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and overall project governance and delivery systems. The workshop also included knowledge-sharing discussions to strengthen coordination among implementing partners.
The project is expected to directly benefit around 1.4 million people with improved access to water supply and an additional 500,000 people with better sanitation services. It will be implemented across 21 towns in 16 counties, making it one of the largest urban water infrastructure programmes supported by the Bank in Kenya.
Officials emphasized that the programme aligns with Kenya’s national development priorities, including Vision 2030, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, and the Sustainable Development Goal on clean water and sanitation. The initiative is intended to strengthen institutional capacity, improve service delivery, and support long-term urban development in rapidly growing cities.
Government representatives highlighted the importance of effective implementation systems, noting that the success of the programme will depend on strong coordination and adherence to agreed procedures. They also stressed the need for timely execution to ensure that planned benefits are realized by the project’s completion in 2029.
The programme is expected to significantly boost infrastructure capacity, increasing water supply by 33,600 cubic metres per day and expanding wastewater treatment capacity by 19,300 cubic metres per day. These improvements are aimed at enhancing reliability and sustainability in urban water and sanitation services.
The African Development Bank Group and the Government of Kenya jointly convened the workshop, with technical support from Bank specialists. The Bank’s total investment in Kenya’s water sector now exceeds $1 billion, representing a substantial share of its overall portfolio in the country and reinforcing its long-term commitment to improving essential public services.
