Lagos Targets Water Resilience with New Strategic Initiatives
Kehinde Adeleye
The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its dedication to ensuring that every resident of the state has access to safe, affordable water and improved sanitation services across the metropolis.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite, gave this assurance during the Lagos Water Partnership Steering Committee Meeting held on Thursday at the Protea Hotel in Alausa, Ikeja.
According to him, the state government has assembled top-level institutional expertise to enable productive discussions and decisive actions aimed at improving the water sector. He noted that the meeting highlights a collective determination to transform Lagos into a water-resilient megacity, adding that the decisions taken would directly impact millions of residents.
Engr. Adegbite revealed that the Technical Committee met on June 26, 2025, and recorded significant progress on key initiatives. These included the presentation of findings from the Legal Feasibility Study and comprehensive updates on the Adiyan II CPA and the 250 Toilet Project.
He further explained that the proposal to provide 100 public facilities containing 10,000 toilet units across Lagos communities demonstrates the state’s commitment to ending open defecation while creating investment opportunities in sanitation infrastructure.
“The seven vision statements for Lagos water resilience, which cover improved mapping, enhanced infrastructure data, expanded access, stronger investment frameworks, upgraded sanitation, digital transformation, and reduced water losses, require the kind of high-level coordination we are determined to provide,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of collaboration, he commended the presentation by ARUP on the City Water Resilience Approach, which showed remarkable progress ranging from stakeholder mapping to investment alignment strategies. The Permanent Secretary urged Steering Committee members to translate the technical insights from the meeting into strategic actions. He explained that their role includes reviewing investment plans, appraising submissions from the Technical Committee, and making informed recommendations to the Advisory Council.
In her remarks, the Country Director of WaterAid, Ms Evelyn Mere, praised the collaborative efforts achieved through the Lagos Water Partnership. Speaking through WaterAid’s Lagos State Team Lead, Dr Adebayo Alao, she stressed that partnerships between government, the private sector, development organisations, and local communities are key to unlocking much-needed investment and delivering scalable impact. She reaffirmed WaterAid’s commitment to supporting the state with its expertise, networks, and resources to move from planning to achieving meaningful and measurable results.
Also speaking, the Director of the Water Resources Department at the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Engr. James Oyedele, explained the roles and expectations of the Steering Committee. He stated that upcoming Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects would include contractual clauses preventing future administrations from interfering with or terminating agreements, provided the terms are being met. This, he said, would give private developers and investors the confidence to commit to long-term projects, knowing the government will honour its obligations regardless of leadership changes.
Dignitaries at the meeting included the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr Tajudeen Gaji; members of the Body of Permanent Secretaries; the General Manager of LASWAMO, Engr. Adefemi Afolabi; the Executive Director of Operations at the Water Corporation, Engr. Omolanke Taiwo; and several leading figures from the private sector.
