An Australian Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), FAIRACTION International, through its Nigerian subsidiary, FAIRACTION Nigeria, in collaboration with the Australian High Commission in Abuja, has donated a smart water kiosk equipped with a borehole, water treatment plant, and solar energy to Ijaiye community in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The smart water kiosk is also integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) technology, enabling the organisation to remotely monitor its functionality and carry out proactive repairs whenever necessary.

Speaking during the inauguration of the project on Saturday, August 17, the Director of FAIRACTION Nigeria, Mr. Yinka Adeoti, explained that the NGO’s strategy before implementing water projects begins with mapping, which enables the organisation to understand the situation on the ground and devise solutions tailored to the community’s specific needs.

He said this approach is crucial to ensuring the sustainability of the infrastructure, adding that the majority of water projects in Nigeria, particularly boreholes, often break down or fail, and FAIRACTION is focused on addressing these challenges.

“It was through this mapping process that FAIRACTION identified Ijaiye as a community in urgent need of a sustainable smart water kiosk,” he said

Adeoti further stated that FAIRACTION’s mission is to support communities lacking access to potable water, just as he noted that the organisation had already mapped 1,693 communities in Oyo, Osun, and Ekiti states to identify the interrelated challenges responsible for the lack of access to safe water and the failures of water infrastructure.

Additionally, he mentioned that FAIRACTION has submitted a proposal to the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Water Resources to map the entirety of Nigeria, saying this effort aims to fully understand the scope of these challenges and devise plans for ensuring sustainable water solutions for all Nigerians.

“We don’t just go into any community and start a water project; we engage with the people to understand their true needs. Once we confirmed that the people of Ijaiye were facing significant challenges with water access, we decided to commence the project,” Mr. Adeoti said.

FAIRACTION’s Research and Programme Manager, Mr. Tosin Kayode, also highlighted that despite the significant investment in the project, the kiosk is being handed over to the community free of charge.

“However, to maintain the project, those who fetch water from the kiosk will purchase it at a rate of N2 per litre, meaning a 50-litre jerrycan will cost N100.

“This price was set by the community as an affordable amount that residents can pay. The money collected will not go to FAIRACTION but will be used to fund repairs and maintenance of the Smart Water Kiosk, ensuring that it remains functional and sustainable,” Mr. Kayode said.

The traditional ruler of the community, the Onijaiye of Ijaiye, Oba Abdulazeez Oladimeji Akano, represented by one of his chiefs, Chief Hakeem Akinsola Faleti, expressed gratitude to FAIRACTION for the project.

He remarked that with the provision of potable water, water-borne diseases would become a thing of the past in Ijaiye.

The monarch also urged residents to take proper care of the project to ensure the community continues to have access to safe drinking water.

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