Charisma Acey publishes new article on urban water markets in Nigeria

Professor of City & Regional Planning Charisma Acey’s latest research on urban water markets in Nigeria was recently published in the International Journal for Urban and Regional Research. Titled, “Silence and Voice in Nigeria’s Hybrid Urban Water Markets: Implications for Local Governance of Public Goods,” the article examines access to water for household consumption in cities with limited networked infrastructure. It considers the influence of the governance of the water sector on the tactics and strategies utilized by urban residents in Nigeria, Lagos and Benin City.

Using interviews, observation and findings from fieldwork, household interviews and surveys undertaken between 2008 and 2015, Acey shows how access to water is shaped by the interplay between state and non-state sources of water and places Nigeria in context of African mobilization around water provision. Because access to water is filtered through differently regulated service providers, as well as the perceived authority of each actor involved in water delivery, there is often what Acey calls “structural silence,” where the structure of the services provided have a direct impact on water consumption behavior by households. Findings show the need for a grounded understanding of factors influencing voice and participation in local governance.