Our #OnePerson for the month of June is Wilson Atumeyi, a sociologist and an anti-corruption activist. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Water With Development (WaterWide), a non-profit organization. WaterWide tracks government spending and international aid for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) projects to ensure transparency, accountability, and proper implementation and completion of these projects in rural communities in Nigeria. By doing so, WaterWide aims to improve the living conditions of Nigerians through targeted capacity building, advocacy, multidimensional engagement, and social mobilization.
Born in 1992 to HRH Umoru Yusuf Atumeyi and Mrs. Esther Itse Atumeyi, Wilson grew up in Plateau State, Nigeria. He attended Albakans Pre-science School in Jos and completed his secondary education at Government College, Pankshin. Wilson holds a diploma in Banking and Finance from the University of Jos and a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Kwararafa University, Wukari.
Wilson’s professional journey began with roles that underscored his commitment to community empowerment. At Connected Development/Follow the Money, he worked as a Communications Officer, empowering marginalized communities in Africa by promoting transparency in government spending. He later joined the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), where he continued to advocate for accountability through investigative journalism.
Growing up in Plateau State, Wilson Atumeyi learned from a young age that access to clean water was a pipe dream for many Nigerians.
While he was in secondary school, he and his classmates would often be sent to fetch water from wells located miles away that had been sunk by farmers for the purpose of watering crops. One child would have to physically go down into the well and pass up the water to the others. His passion for community development led him to found Water With Development (WaterWide) to engage in advocacy at both policy and decentralized levels. WaterWide influences policies and practices that impede access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene for people in rural communities.
The organization also develops the capacity of relevant stakeholders and rural community members, equipping them with the knowledge for best practices in the water and sanitation sector. Additionally, WaterWide establishes mechanisms for ensuring accountability in government spending.
While at Kwararafa University, Wukari, Wilson Atumeyi used graphic designs to develop a good learning system and advocate against lecturer-student corruption. In 2019, he founded WaterWide to ensure that people in marginalised communities have a voice and living conditions are amplified leveraging technology. He was involved in several advocacy campaigns that led to policy changes in Nigeria, including a marginal increase for health in the 2018 budget, Not Too Young to Run and Disability Rights. He was selected by YouthHub Africa to lead the Media and Publicity department of the Women and Girls Rights Defenders (Abuja Network).
He currently leads a team of young Nigerians to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities at Water With Development (WaterWide). He is the Director of Communications for Lola Cater for The Needy Foundation, a non-profit organisation that improves the socio-economic development of disadvantaged persons. He is also a communications consultant; he delivers training on advocacy and policy influencing, Strategic Communications, Corporate Branding and Brand Management.
To further promote transparency and citizen engagement, Wilson educates young Nigerians on the Freedom of Information Act (FoI) and the use of technology to highlight governance issues. His efforts have earned him numerous prestigious awards, such as the Prize for Advocacy and Activism by The Future Awards Africa in 2020, the Youth Spotlight Award by Nigeria Youth SDG in 2022, and recognition as Accountability Lab’s Accountapreneur for 2020. Additionally, he was honored as Advocate of the Year 2020 by Africa Youth Awards in 2021 and was recognized for his innovative work in water sanitation and hygiene by Lord’s Achievers Award in 2022.
Well done, Wilson!
