CAPPA Cautions Lagos Against Privatisation Of Water
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
Despite living next to the Atlantic, millions still grapple with water scarcity in Lagos hence the battle over who controls Lagos’ taps is heating up.
As Lagos edges closer to completing its flagship Adiyan II Water Treatment Plant, the conversation is no longer just about infrastructure, but about ownership and who pays the price.
For this, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has hailed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to public water provision, particularly the significant progress made on Adiyan II, which is now 80% complete after more than a decade of slow but steady development.
With ₦20 billion earmarked in the 2025 budget to fast-track the project, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration appears focused on bringing clean water to more Lagosians.
But CAPPA, while commending these efforts, warns that a bigger storm could be brewing if the government opens the door to private profiteers. “Water is not a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder,” CAPPA declared, urging the state to retain full public control over the sector.
The organisation referenced failed water privatisation attempts across Africa, alongside the recent withdrawal of USAID from Lagos’ water projects, as cautionary tales.
It also raised fresh concerns about the state’s potential partnerships with other foreign financiers like JICA and AFD, who, CAPPA claims, come with strings attached.
“This is Lagos’ defining moment,” CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said. “The state must reject privatisation and invest fully in its own water sector, protecting residents from future corporate exploitation.”
As Lagos races to finish Adiyan II by 2027, CAPPA is calling on both leaders and citizens to ensure that water remains a right and not a luxury.
