WaterAid targets 10m Lagos residents with WASH solutions
The Lagos State government in partnership with WaterAid Plan and private operators are collaborating to build 350 public toilets across the state to curb widespread open defecation and maintain hygiene and sanitation.

Also, WaterAid team has projected that 10 million residents directly and another 17 million indirectly will have access by 2028 through interventions with basic Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

Speaking during a media round table in collaboration with WaterAid and the state government, the Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu said work has started on some of the toilets, including identifying the locations for them.

He stated that the state will adopt the three-way approach in tackling the issue of open defecation, which is to put infrastructure in place, engage in massive advocacy and lastly undertake enforcement drives to ensure that everyone embraces the use of public toilets.

Rotimi-Akodu expressed appreciation to WaterAid for collaborating with the state in its effort to ensure that Lagosians have access to clean water, decent toilets and proper hygiene practices on a continuous basis.

According to him, the government is aware that the provision of more public toilets would help reduce expenditures on treatment of diseases, thereby making more money available for other economic uses.

He stressed that the little delay being experienced is to put in place alternative water supply instead of drilling boreholes.

He said the government ordinarily does not support the drilling of boreholes at homes, organisations, religious homes for so many reasons and is working on providing the right alternative, which is the provision of portable water through the Lagos Water Corporation.

“Borehole drilling is not something we are proud of and it’s something we are eager to run away from; Thankfully, we have gone on a working visit with Mr. Governor and the media team to Adiyan Water works where the State will soon start generating a combined capacity of not less than 100 million gallons of pipe borne water daily.

“The people can testify to the meaningful efforts of the state, to see that water becomes something that is available to everyone in Lagos state,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite noted that it has been observed that most homes/organisations are using the water provided by Lagos State Water Corporation without paying for it, adding it has resulted in the government bailing out water corporation facilities over the years but the state would find a way to sustainably engage them.

According to him, we have the biggest Corporation to supply water, that is why we have various regulatory Agencies that will address the issue of tariff setting.

“Infact, there have been a lot of applications for people to come in, but the regulatory commission is working on it; I would like to say that provision of potable water by the government has never been for profit making,” he said.

He stated that provision of pipe borne water is never going to be free going forward, adding that the government does not expect private organisations/individuals to invest in water supply and offer it for free hence conversations are still going regarding the tariff setting.

“It is a major project that we have invited partners to also invest in; you can imagine our partners investing about N800 million, you must know that the state is also spending billions of Naira,” he said.

He warned against tapping potable water by those who don’t want to pay, adding that it is an illegal act that affects the Corporation negatively.

Also, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services. Gaji Omobolaji said the government is working to provide water for the entire state and not just a particular region.

That, he said, is the reason massive rehabilitation is ongoing in all the major water works, mini water works as well as the micro water works in the state.

He expressed confidence that before the end of this administration, the government will be able to provide hundreds of millions of gallons per day, which will go a long way in providing access to water.

Earlier, in his presentation, the State Programme Lead, WaterAid Lagos Office, Dr Adebayo Alao said WaterAid had contributed towards developing models and strengthening institutional capacities for enhanced sector governance and performance, while working with other key sectors to integrate water, sanitation and hygiene into their development plans and priorities.

He stated that Kimberly Clark donated $1million from July 2021 to March 2025 to target 45,000 lactating women, adolescent girls and other persons with the aim of improving hygiene behaviours among vulnerable populations, saying that the project locations were Ojodu under Ikeja and Ikorodu North Local Council Development Areas of Lagos state.

He stressed that one of the key achievements was the renovation of two Primary Health Centres with functional water supply and sanitation facilities as well as procurement of medical equipment worth over 30 million supplied to the PHCs located in Ogba and Odo-nla in Epe.

He added that other achievements by WaterAid include the approval to review the WASH Policy of Lagos State as well as supported the technical assessment of several dysfunctional water works to support increase in urban water supply. which led to the ongoing rehabilitation of the Akilo Water Works.