Water security cannot be solved by one organisation, one municipality or one technology alone. It requires collaboration across government, utilities, industry, finance, communities and technology providers.
This was the central message emerging from the Water Connections & Collaboration Lab, hosted in the interactive BOMA Village during Water Security Africa, collocated with Enlit Africa 2026.
Unlike traditional conference sessions, the BOMA Village created a collaborative space where delegates came together to exchange experiences, challenge conventional thinking and explore practical opportunities for partnership.
Inspired by the traditional African boma, a place where communities gather to solve challenges collectively, the session encouraged open dialogue on one of Africa’s most pressing development priorities – securing water through collective action.
Across Africa, the scale of water challenges continues to grow.
Ageing infrastructure, increasing demand, climate variability, deteriorating water quality and constrained municipal resources mean that no single stakeholder can deliver water resilience independently.
Participants discussed how stronger partnerships are becoming essential to:
Rather than focusing solely on challenges, conversations centred on identifying practical opportunities for cooperation and the mechanisms required to move from discussion to implementation.
One of the defining characteristics of the discussion was the diversity of voices represented around the table.
Municipalities, water utilities, regulators, financiers, technology providers, consultants, engineering firms and commercial water users all contribute different perspectives to solving the same challenge.
The discussion reinforced that meaningful progress happens when these perspectives intersect rather than operate independently.
Participants explored how stronger relationships between public and private sector stakeholders can unlock faster project delivery, encourage innovation and improve operational performance across the water sector.
The Water Connections & Collaboration Lab was intentionally designed to go beyond introductions. Delegates were encouraged to openly discuss shared challenges, identify common priorities and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
Topics included:
The conversations demonstrated that collaboration is not simply about exchanging business cards it is about creating trusted relationships capable of delivering measurable outcomes.
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Many of the discussions highlighted that some of Africa’s most effective water solutions already exist within the continent.
Utilities, municipalities and industries have developed successful approaches to reducing non-revenue water, improving operational efficiency, implementing digital technologies and strengthening water resilience.
Creating platforms where these experiences can be shared enables organisations to accelerate learning rather than starting from scratch.
Participants reflected on the value of peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange as powerful drivers of innovation across the sector.
A recurring theme throughout the session was that water security is increasingly becoming a shared responsibility.
Government remains central to policy and regulation, but delivering resilient water systems also requires investment from industry, support from financial institutions, innovation from technology providers and active collaboration across the broader ecosystem.
The Water Connections & Collaboration Lab demonstrated that solving Africa’s water challenges depends not only on better technology or increased investment, but also on stronger relationships between the organisations responsible for planning, financing, delivering and managing water services.
As Water Security Africa continues to grow as a platform for dialogue and partnership, sessions such as the BOMA Village reinforce an important principle: the future of water security will be built through collaboration.
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