How Technology is Transforming Africa’s WASH Sector – Lessons from AfWASA 2025

This year, mWater participated in the AFWASA International Congress & Exhibition 2025, held from February 16 to 20 in Kampala, Uganda. The event brought together water and sanitation experts to address Africa's challenges under the theme Water and Sanitation for All: A Secure Future for Africa.

In this article, we will discuss 10 of the groundbreaking technologies discussed during AfWASA and the real-world projects demonstrating their power to transform lives.

Preamble

As the curtains closed on AfWASA 2025, Dr. Rose Kagwa, Chair of the Program Committee, took to the stage to highlight the incredible achievements of this year’s congress, and what a list it was!

This year’s event occupied a massive 3,800 square meters of exhibition space, welcoming more than 116 companies from 40 countries and over 2,200 delegates representing 66 countries. The program itself was nothing short of impressive. Ten keynote speakers, four high-level dialogues, 300 presentations, and 58 technical sessions were packed into five days of learning, innovation, and bold commitments.

If you paid attention to the environment at the conference, the conference halls were only part of the story. Beyond the formal sessions and keynote speeches, the real magic unfolded in the quieter corners and impromptu gatherings scattered throughout the venue. The lobby on the

hotel’s second floor and the dining areas by the pool became a hive of activity, buzzing with the hum of side meetings and networking conversations that stretched late into the evening. Here, deals were struck, partnerships were forged, and ideas born in conference rooms were refined and advanced. These unscripted moments, though outside the official program, were where the seeds of innovation and progress were truly sown.

While the event addressed a wide range of issues, such as climate resilience, financing gaps, governance reforms, and gender inclusion, the conversations around technology adoption were particularly striking and of interest to us as mWater.

Key themes emerged: technology is no longer optional in the WASH sector. It is becoming the backbone of smarter service delivery, better accountability, and faster emergency response.

The report "Data Systems for Non-Sewered Sanitation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Status, Challenges, and Recommendations" by Datalabs, presented during the conference, pointed to the transformative potential of digital tools in addressing the region's sanitation challenges. It highlights how utilities and municipalities are leveraging technology to improve data collection, analysis, and operationalization of non-sewered sanitation (NSS) services.

The report indicated that among these tools, mWater stands out as a critical enabler, particularly in utilities like the Lusaka Water Supply and Sanitation Company (LWSC) in Zambia and Nakuru Water and Sanitation Services Company (NAWASCO) in Kenya. In Lusaka, mWater is used for comprehensive sanitation baseline mapping, enabling LWSC to collect detailed data on NSS facilities and fecal sludge management (FSM) services. This data is integrated into the Lusaka Sanitation System (LSS) to monitor service delivery and inform decision-making. Similarly, NAWASCO utilizes mWater for project-based data collection, such as mapping sanitation facilities in low-income areas like Rhonda and Nakuru, to guide interventions and improve access to safely managed sanitation.

Here are some of the10 groundbreaking technologies discussed during AfWASA

1.     Digital Sanitation Surveys in Mozambique

In Mozambique, WaterAid and the Ministry of Public Works ran a massive household sanitation survey using the mWater platform. Covering over 15,000 households, the project moved away from paper-based data collection, saving time and ensuring better data quality. Real-time dashboards instantly showed progress, helping decision-makers prioritize interventions in high-risk areas.

2.     Smart Monitoring and Real-Time Data in Uganda

National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), working with UNICEF, rolled out IoT sensors in rural areas like Gulu and Masindi to track borehole performance in real-time. These sensors detect flow rates, pump functionality, and system downtime and transmit data directly to a central dashboard.

The result: System downtime dropped by 42%. This kind of remote monitoring built on data visibility and automation is essential for managing dispersed water points across vast rural landscapes.

3.     Mapping Water Infrastructure in Kenya

In Kisumu and Nakuru, WASREB (Kenya’s water regulator) and GIZ Kenya demonstrated the power of GIS mapping. Using digital spatial tools, they mapped over 8,000 water assets, creating a clear picture of network health, leak-prone zones, and aging infrastructure.

This mapping feeds directly into investment planning, ensuring limited resources go to the most urgent repairs and upgrades. Such evidence-based planning is becoming the new standard across the region.

4.     Smart Meters Fighting Water Loss in Ghana

Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) partnered with Vitens Evides International to pilot smart water meters in Greater Accra. These meters track consumption and detect leaks and illegal connections in real time.

Within just 18 months, non-revenue water (NRW) dropped from 49% to 31%, boosting revenue collection and service reliability.

5.     Digital Learning for Utility Workers in Zambia

To address skills gaps in managing digital tools, NWASCO in Zambia, with support from IWA and Cap-Net, introduced an online learning platform for utility staff. Covering everything from climate resilience to customer engagement, the platform reached over 400 professionals.

This shift to on-demand training cut costs by 38% and enabled ongoing capacity building—an essential foundation for digital success.

6.     Drones and AI for Catchment Protection in Rwanda

Rwanda Water Resources Board (RWB) used drones to capture high-resolution imagery of the Nyabarongo River Basin, mapping pollution sources and erosion risks. In partnership with RCMRD, this technology enabled highly targeted catchment protection plans.

In parallel, South Africa’s Rand Water adopted AI-powered predictive maintenance for its pumps and treatment plants, reducing unexpected failures by 30%. This blend of automation and foresight reduces service interruptions and saves costs.

7.     Digital Water Quality Testing in Senegal

ONAS, Senegal’s sanitation authority, teamed up with UNICEF and WHO to roll out digital water quality kits in peri-urban Dakar. Results were automatically uploaded to the cloud, cutting reporting times from 2 weeks to just 48 hours.

This speed is crucial for responding quickly to contamination incidents, something many African utilities struggle with under traditional paper-based systems.

8.     USSD for Customer Feedback in Tanzania

DAWASA (Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority) introduced a USSD platform—a simple yet powerful way for customers to lodge complaints using basic feature phones. With support from GSMA, this system gathered over 24,000 complaints within 6 months, slashing response times by 45%.

9.     Blockchain for Financial Transparency in Liberia

In Liberia, LWSC (the national water utility) worked with the World Bank and AfDB to test blockchain technology for tracking payments and procurement in donor-funded projects; the result was 23% fewer financial irregularities and stronger donor confidence in fund management.

10.  Predictive Maintenance Using AI in South Africa: Rand Water with IBM Research Africa

Rand Water, the largest bulk water supplier in South Africa, partnered with IBM Research Africa to test an AI-powered predictive maintenance system for its pump stations. By analyzing historical performance data, the system generated predictive failure alerts, allowing preemptive maintenance scheduling.

This approach reduced unexpected pump failures by 30% within a year, lowering repair costs and minimizing service disruptions for over 11 million customers in Gauteng Province. The project’s success led Rand Water to start scaling AI maintenance across its treatment plants.

Conclusion.

Technology Adoption is No Longer Optional—It’s the Backbone of Resilient WASH Systems

The message from AfWASA 2025 is clear: technology is not a side project. It’s at the heart of delivering services efficiently, ensuring accountability, and building climate resilience

This congress comes at a critical time when Africa faces the challenges of poverty, rapid urbanization, climate change, and declining financing in the water and sanitation sector. Our collective response must be bold, innovative, and sustainable- Hon. Beatrice Anywar, Minister of Water and Environment, Uganda

For organizations still hesitating, the message is clear: The future of WASH is digital—and AfWASA 2025 showed exactly what that future looks like when technology, partnerships, and political will align.

As technology adoption accelerates, mWater will continue supporting the sector with practical tools, real-time data, and hands-on guidance, ensuring Africa’s WASH systems are not only stronger but smarter. Utilities, governments, and development partners rely on mWater for tools and best practices in digital transformation.

With the baton officially passed, all eyes now turn to Yaoundé, Cameroon, which will host the next AfWASA Congress from February 9 to 13, 2026. If the energy and excitement in Kampala were anything to go by, AfWASA 2026 promises to be a landmark event, as the new president, Dr. Blaise Moussa, who also happens to be from Cameroon, promised.

The countdown has already begun; see you in Cameroon!