By Gabriel Ameh
A coalition of civil society organisations, community associations and trade unions has threatened mass resistance across Lagos State if the government moves to seal residential boreholes, arguing that residents should not be punished for providing water for themselves amid years of unreliable public supply.
The coalition, operating under the Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC), said any attempt by the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) or government task forces to shut down domestic boreholes would trigger coordinated protests and legal action across all local government areas in the state.
The warning follows public concerns over a statement attributed to LASWARCO Executive Secretary, Oluwabukola Adeyemo, which reportedly described the drilling of boreholes and extraction of groundwater without government authorisation as illegal and punishable by property sealing and criminal prosecution.
The Commission had also introduced a reporting hotline, encouraging residents and community leaders to report unauthorised borehole drilling and groundwater extraction.
Reacting, OWORAC and its member organisations accused the state government of creating unnecessary panic among residents, particularly low-income households that depend on privately funded boreholes for their daily water needs.
The coalition argued that the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017 provides an exemption for domestic boreholes, insisting that the government must distinguish between household water use and commercial or industrial groundwater extraction.
Citing Section 253(1) of the law, the groups maintained that residents can construct or extend wells and boreholes within residential premises without obtaining a licence, provided the water is intended for household domestic use.
They also referenced Section 259(2), which they said requires licensing for boreholes intended for purposes other than domestic use.
According to the coalition, LASWARCO’s public warnings failed to adequately explain these statutory exemptions, potentially exposing residents to harassment and confusion.
The groups therefore called on the Commission to clarify its enforcement position and publicly guarantee that households with domestic boreholes would not face indiscriminate sealing, prosecution or intimidation.
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY UNDER SCRUTINY
The coalition questioned the government’s justification for tightening borehole regulations while public water infrastructure continues to struggle to meet the needs of Lagos residents.
Citing official Lagos Water Corporation disclosures, the groups claimed that the corporation has approximately 34,424 registered connections, representing about 1.03 per cent direct coverage in a state with a population exceeding 20 million.
Even under the corporation’s broader estimate that the connections serve multiple households and cover approximately 8.3 per cent of residents, the coalition argued that more than 91 per cent of the population remains without direct access to the public water network.
It also criticised the operational performance of major water facilities at Iju, Adiyan and Ishasi, describing their condition as evidence of prolonged government failure to provide reliable public water.
The coalition further referenced Section 252 of the 2017 law, which it said limits the Lagos Water Corporation’s liability for damages or compensation arising from the failure or interruption of public water supply.
It argued that government should not penalise residents for finding alternative water sources when public infrastructure has failed to provide adequate services.
COMMUNITIES FACE GROWING WATER INSECURITY
The organisations described domestic boreholes as a survival necessity for many Lagos households, while warning that groundwater contamination has made access to safe water even more difficult in some communities.
They specifically identified Baruwa, Iludun and Ajegunle as areas affected by petroleum pipeline contamination, which they said has compromised underground water sources.
The coalition also raised concerns about sewage pollution and saltwater intrusion in coastal communities, including parts of Lekki, where poor drainage and inadequate centralised wastewater management have reportedly affected groundwater quality.
According to the groups, residents in affected communities are forced to spend substantial amounts purchasing water from private vendors, placing additional pressure on already struggling households.
In communities where groundwater remains usable, residents have developed informal systems of collective water sharing.
These include extending borehole connections to neighbouring streets, sharing water with nearby households and contributing money towards electricity or fuel needed to operate pumping machines.
The coalition argued that such community-led arrangements should be supported rather than criminalised.
It also maintained that these initiatives demonstrate how communities can organise and provide essential services through cooperation, without relying entirely on expensive private-sector arrangements.
GROUPS QUESTION GOVERNMENT’S TREATMENT OF COMPANIES
OWORAC also accused LASWARCO of applying different regulatory standards to multinational companies and ordinary residents.
The coalition recalled regulatory engagements involving major companies, including Nigerian Bottling Company, Guinness Nigeria and FrieslandCampina WAMCO, in late 2024.
It claimed that LASWARCO had disclosed spending more than seven years engaging some industrial water extractors through discussions despite outstanding compliance issues.
The groups questioned why the government would pursue prolonged negotiations with large commercial water users while threatening households with task force operations, property sealing and criminal prosecution.
According to the coalition, commercial and industrial groundwater extraction should receive more rigorous regulatory attention because of its potential impact on shared aquifers.
FEARS OVER PRIVATISATION AND PREPAID WATER SCHEMES
The organisations also expressed concern that the proposed enforcement measures could weaken community-owned water arrangements and create conditions for the introduction of privately operated water schemes.
They warned against any attempt to force residents into prepaid water systems that could make access to an essential resource dependent on household purchasing power.
Describing water as a fundamental human right, the coalition insisted that access to safe drinking water must not become an exclusionary service available only to those who can afford it.
The groups urged the Lagos State Government to prioritise universal access to reliable public water instead of pursuing the privatisation of the Lagos Water Corporation.
They also called for the rehabilitation of existing waterworks, stronger enforcement against high-volume commercial extractors and industrial polluters, and transparent management of public water infrastructure.
Additionally, they demanded governance reforms that would give workers, trade unions, community representatives and civil society organisations a direct role in decisions affecting the state’s water utility.
CALL FOR COMMUNITY-WIDE MOBILISATION
As part of its response, the coalition urged Community Development Associations, youth organisations, labour unions, artisans, market women and neighbourhood networks across Lagos to remain organised and prepared to defend their access to domestic water.
It warned that any attempt by LASWARCO or government task forces to enter residential communities, demand what it considers unlawful permits or seal household boreholes would trigger immediate legal action and coordinated public resistance.
The coalition said its position would remain unchanged until the government recommitted itself to restoring universal access to reliable public water across Lagos State.
The statement was jointly endorsed by 25 representatives of civil society organisations, trade unions, community associations and social movements.
Among the signatories were Adewale Ojo, Chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Lagos State; Dagga Tollar of the Movement for Socialist Alternative; Zikora Ibeh of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA); Okechukwu Nwanguma of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC); and Gbenga Komolafe of the Federation of Informal Workers Organisation of Nigeria (FIWON).
The coalition maintained that residents should not be forced to choose between access to water and compliance with regulations that, in its interpretation, exempt domestic boreholes.
It called on the Lagos State Government to address the underlying public water supply crisis rather than criminalise the survival measures adopted by ordinary households.
