Lagos signs expansion deal to improve access to potable water

Lagos government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with international consortium firms, Belstar Capital and ENKA, to rehabilitate and expand the state’s water supply infrastructure.

NAN reports that Tokunbo Wahab, Lagos commissioner for environment and water resources, made the announcement in a statement on Monday.

Wahab said the project aims to tackle longstanding deficiencies in the state’s water distribution network, which has left millions of residents underserved for decades.

He said the initiative will involve the rehabilitation of existing waterworks, the construction of new facilities, installation of treatment plants, and the expansion of distribution pipelines.

According to the commissioner, the project is divided into two parts: the “Brown Field” phase, which focuses on rehabilitating existing infrastructure, and a “Green Field” phase that entails the construction of new waterworks in different locations across the state.

Mukhtaar Tijani, managing director of the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC), emphasized that the corporation would work closely with the consortium firms to provide technical support and ensure stakeholder engagement.

He added that the project aims not just to expand supply but to address persistent water-related diseases caused by inadequate access to potable water.

Tewodros Polk, group managing director of Belstar Capital, assured that local subcontractors would be involved in the project to support capacity building and local development.

The project will follow an Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Finance (EPC+F) model, insured by the US International Development Finance Corporation, with an expected completion timeline of 36 months.

Lagos, home to millions of people, has struggled for years to meet its water needs. This has forced many residents to rely on unsafe boreholes, private water vendors, or sachet water for daily consumption.