OWORAC: Lagos Water Privatization Opposition Warns of Affordability Crisis

• The Our Water, Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC) warns that privatizing water services in Lagos could make them unaffordable for low-income residents.
• OWORAC urged the Lagos State Government to allocate at least five percent of its annual budget to water infrastructure and rehabilitate existing facilities.
• Globally, billions lack safely managed drinking water and sanitation, with low-income households in sub-Saharan Africa often paying 10-20 times more for water from vendors.
• The coalition highlighted concerns that commercial tariffs, concessions, and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) could worsen inequality if access depends on ability to pay.
• Opposition to Lagos water Public-Private Partnerships has a history, with unions previously accusing the Lagos Water Corporation of exploiting scarcity to promote privatization.

The coalition warned that the introduction of commercial tariffs, concessions, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), and prepaid water meters could exacerbate inequality if access becomes contingent on a household's ability to pay.

Rufus Olusesan, president of the Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA), issued a stern warning during the Africa Week of Action Against Water Privatisation 2026, an event organized by the Our Water, Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC) in Lagos. He emphasized that water is a fundamental human right, not a mere commodity, and cautioned that privatizing water services in Lagos could significantly reduce affordability for low-income residents.

Olusesan specifically highlighted the risk that private operators might prioritize commercially viable areas, neglecting vulnerable communities such as Ajegunle and Makoko. He urged the Lagos State Government to substantially increase its investment in public water infrastructure, advocating for an allocation of at least five percent of the annual budget to this critical sector, noting that current spending is reportedly less than one percent. Furthermore, he called for the immediate rehabilitation of key waterworks in Iju, Adiyan, and Ishasi, the completion of the Adiyan II project, and thorough investigations into contractors who have failed to deliver on previous water projects.

The Our Water, Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC), through a joint statement read by Geoffrey Occansey of Ghana's Water Citizens Network/Revenue Mobilisation Africa, underscored that inadequate public investment, coupled with rapid population growth, urbanization, and climate change pressures, has intensified water supply challenges across the African continent. The coalition strongly advised governments to reinforce existing public water systems rather than leveraging their deficiencies as a pretext for transferring services to private entities.

OWORAC cited alarming global statistics from 2024, revealing that 2.1 billion people lacked access to safely managed drinking water, and 3.4 billion were without safely managed sanitation. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 167 million individuals relied on limited drinking-water services that year. The coalition pointed out that households without dependable public water supplies frequently resort to more expensive alternatives like vendors, water tankers, and private boreholes, forcing poorer residents to pay significantly more for an essential service. Research on urban water access in sub-Saharan Africa indicates that low-income households dependent on vendors can pay between 10 and 20 times more per unit of water than those connected to public networks, a phenomenon described as a "poverty penalty."

The coalition warned that the introduction of commercial tariffs, concessions, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), and prepaid water meters could exacerbate inequality if access becomes contingent on a household's ability to pay. They referenced a 2025 Global Witness investigation concerning a Veolia-managed landfill in Colombia, alongside concerns regarding Veolia's past operations in Gabon, and Suez's involvement in Senegal's urban water system, to illustrate potential pitfalls of private sector engagement. OWORAC maintained that private sector participation necessitates robust public oversight and does not inherently resolve infrastructure and sanitation deficits.

Opposition to private-sector involvement in Lagos water services, including the Lagos State Government water PPP initiatives, is not a recent development. Previous reports highlighted the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service, Technical and Recreational Service Employees (AUPCTRE) opposing the state government's plans to operate its waterworks through a PPP model. The union had accused the Lagos Water Corporation of exploiting water scarcity to garner public support for privatization. OWORAC further called upon African governments to enhance transparency by publishing all water-related contracts, financing arrangements, tariffs, and expenditure, while actively involving workers and affected communities in crucial water management decisions.

Lawyers advising private entities or government agencies on water infrastructure projects in Lagos should note the significant and sustained public and union opposition to privatization and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). This opposition, coupled with calls for increased transparency and public oversight, indicates potential legal and reputational risks, and could influence future policy decisions or project viability in the sector.

Source: Reporting based on recent coalition warnings.