LWC Launches Water Ambassadors Initiative,  Mobilises Community Champions For Sustainable Water Management

The Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) has launched its Water Ambassadors Initiative, a landmark community engagement programme designed to strengthen the Corporation’s relationship with residents and mobilise a network of committed and influential individuals to promote water awareness, responsible water use, conservation, hygiene and sustainable water management across Lagos.

The initiative, unveiled on Wednesday, 16th September 2026, at the Corporation’s Headquarters, Water House, Ijora, Lagos, represents a significant milestone in LWC’s ongoing efforts under the leadership of its Managing Director, Engr. Mukhtaar Temitope Tijani, to deepen community participation, strengthen public communication and foster shared responsibility for the sustainability of public water services.

Tijani Charges Ambassadors to Become Trusted Vopices of LWC

Welcoming and congratulating the newly appointed Water Ambassadors, the Managing Director, Engr. Mukhtaar Tijani, thanked them for accepting the responsibility and urged them to uphold honesty, transparency and integrity in their engagements with the Corporation and their respective communities.

Engr. Tijani explained that the Corporation would continue to keep the ambassadors informed about its programmes, activities and developments, while expecting them to accurately communicate relevant information to members of the public and serve as responsible voices of LWC within their communities and spheres of influence.

He described the ambassadors as an important link between the Corporation and the communities it serves, noting that their role would provide a stronger and more structured channel for communication, feedback and public enlightenment.

According to him, the initiative will enable the Corporation to better understand community needs while ensuring that residents have access to credible and accurate information about water services.

The Managing Director charged the ambassadors to listen to residents’ concerns, communicate accurate information, encourage responsible water use and support the protection of public water infrastructure.

He further emphasised that they would play a vital role in helping residents understand the Corporation’s services, responsibilities and expectations, while ensuring that community concerns are appropriately communicated to the relevant authorities.

The initiative reflects Engr. Tijani’s strategic and forward-looking approach to stakeholder engagement, creating a platform through which communities can become active partners in promoting, protecting and sustaining public water services.

By establishing a network of committed individuals with the capacity to influence positive behaviour within their communities, the Water Ambassadors Initiative represents a purposeful investment in public awareness, community participation, stakeholder relations and infrastructure protection.

Water Ambassadors to Serve as LWC’s Eyes, Ears and Voices at Grassroots

Representing the Executive Director, Operations, Engr. Helen Omolanke Taiwo, the Director, Distribution, Engr. Bolaji Ogunlewe, described the Water Ambassadors as a potential bridge of trust between Lagos Water Corporation and communities across the State.

He stated that the ambassadors would serve as the “eyes, ears and voices of LWC at the grassroots”, helping to improve communication, encourage water conservation, promote timely payment of water bills, facilitate community feedback and support the prompt reporting of leakages, vandalism, illegal connections and other challenges affecting water infrastructure.

Engr. Ogunlewe disclosed that the initiative would commence as a pilot programme in communities with active and reliable water supply, with plans for expansion as more rehabilitated water infrastructure becomes operational.

He identified the major objectives of the initiative as:

• Community Engagement
• Information Sharing
• Infrastructure Monitoring
• Revenue Improvement
• Water Conservation
• School Water Awareness Programme

He further highlighted key benefits of the initiative to the Corporation, including enhanced visibility, improved service delivery, strengthened community trust, better data collection and improved revenue, while communities stand to benefit through empowerment, improved responsiveness, education and greater accessibility to information and services.

CCC Director: “Water Challenges Require Champions”

Earlier in her welcome address, the Director, Customer, Commercial and Community Engagement (CCC), Mrs. Peju Isola, sensitised the ambassadors on the expectations and responsibilities attached to their new roles.

Mrs. Isola noted that the challenges confronting the water sector are becoming increasingly complex, with population growth, urbanisation, pollution, climate change, environmental degradation and competing demands for water placing significant pressure on water resources.

She stressed that addressing these challenges requires more than policies and infrastructure, but also people, leadership and committed champions.

She explained that the Water Ambassadors Initiative was conceived under the leadership of the Managing Director, Engr. Mukhtaar Tijani, to create a network of committed and influential individuals who would use their voices, platforms and expertise to promote water awareness, encourage responsible water use, advocate sustainable water management and inspire positive action within their communities and spheres of influence.

Mrs. Isola explained that the ambassadors are expected to serve as a bridge between Lagos Water Corporation and residents by facilitating effective communication and ensuring that communities receive credible and timely information concerning water services.

She urged them to educate residents on responsible water use, conservation, hygiene and sustainability, while encouraging communities to protect public water infrastructure and promptly report leakages, vandalism and other challenges that may affect service delivery.

The CCC Director also emphasised the importance of professionalism, transparency and sincerity in community engagements. She cautioned the ambassadors against making informal or undisclosed arrangements on behalf of the Corporation and advised them to escalate matters beyond their authority to the appropriate departments and teams.

According to her, the success of the initiative will depend largely on the ambassadors’ ability to build trust, communicate effectively and faithfully represent the interests of both Lagos Water Corporation and the communities they serve.

Ambassadors Sensitised on Sustainable Water Services

The programme also provided an opportunity to sensitise the ambassadors on the importance of payment for water services as a critical component of sustaining reliable public water supply.

The ambassadors were encouraged to educate residents on the need to pay for water consumed and help bridge the gap between service utilisation and payment.

The Corporation also provided clarification on its metering arrangements, explaining that meters are already available across parts of its network, with some provided through grants and development projects, while customers in other areas may be required to pay for meter installation in line with prevailing arrangements.

It was further explained that metering is linked to water availability, as meters may not be installed in areas where inadequate supply could affect their effective utilisation.

The Corporation stated that water pressure is expected to improve towards the end of October, with stronger supply anticipated from November.

The ambassadors were encouraged to help residents understand the potential benefits of reliable public water supply as an alternative to excessive dependence on private boreholes and purchased water deliveries, while promoting confidence in treated water supplied by the Corporation.

Community Responsibility and Infrastructure Protection

A major focus of the initiative is the protection of public water infrastructure through active community participation.

The ambassadors were charged with sensitising residents against vandalism and encouraging the prompt reporting of damaged infrastructure, leakages, illegal connections and other challenges affecting water supply.

The Corporation acknowledged that the ambassadors may encounter initial scepticism or resistance in some communities but encouraged them to remain focused, professional and committed to their responsibilities, assuring them of institutional support.

To strengthen their capacity, the Corporation provided the ambassadors with training materials and outreach toolkits, including posters and other promotional resources to support community awareness activities.

LWC further emphasised that the initial training marks the beginning of an ongoing capacity-building process, with additional training programmes expected to equip the ambassadors with the knowledge and skills required for effective community engagement.

Relevant departments and technical teams of the Corporation will also continue to provide support as the ambassadors commence their community activities.

LWC Commits to 24-Hour Response on Reported Leakages

As part of the engagement, the Head of Distribution committed to responding to every reported leakage within 24 hours, providing a clear service-response expectation for issues escalated through the appropriate channels.

A representative of the Rural Water Association (RWA), Oluwatoyin Ladipo, also pledged funding support for committee activities connected with the initiative.

The ambassadors were reminded that water is a shared community responsibility and encouraged to promote a culture in which residents understand that protecting infrastructure, reporting faults, conserving water, paying for services and maintaining good hygiene are interconnected esponsibilities essential to sustainable public water services.

Water Ambassadors Take Oath of Office

In her closing remarks, the South-West Region Head, Mrs. Oluranti Taiwo, appreciated the participation of the ambassadors and other stakeholders and urged the newly appointed representatives to take the responsibility entrusted to them seriously.

She encouraged them to remain committed to strengthening constructive engagement between Lagos Water Corporation and the communities, assuring them that their contributions would be valuable to the Corporation’s broader public service objectives.

Speaking on behalf of the Water Ambassadors, Oluwatoyin Towobola, representing Lagos Island LGA, and Ibrahim Ismail Oluwatosin, representing Apapa LGA, pledged their commitment to the objectives of the initiative and to supporting the Corporation in its engagement with communities.

The entire cohort subsequently took the Oath of Office, administered by Barrister Derin Dada of the LWC Legal Department, formally ushering them into their new roles.

The programme concluded with the presentation of letters of appointment/engagement and certificates to the newly appointed Water Ambassadors.

A New Chapter in Community-Centred Water Service

The launch of the Lagos Water Corporation Water Ambassadors Initiative marks a significant milestone in the Corporation’s community engagement strategy and further demonstrates the visionary and forward-looking leadership of Engr. Mukhtaar Temitope Tijani in creating new pathways for public participation, stakeholder partnership and community ownership.

The initiative provides a structured platform for building a network of committed individuals who will use their voices, relationships, platforms and spheres of influence to promote water awareness, encourage responsible water use, advocate sustainable water management, protect public infrastructure and inspire positive action within their communities.

It signals a renewed commitment by Lagos Water Corporation to ensuring that residents are not merely recipients of public water services, but  active partners and champions in safeguarding the future of sustainable water supply across Lagos.