Lagos Water Corporation updates coverage figures, claims to serve 1.65 million residents

The Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) has updated its figures. The corporation now says its water network serves about 1.65 million residents. This is a change from the earlier figure of 1.03 percent coverage.

In a statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, LWC explained that the previous estimate used an average of six people per connection. The corporation pointed out that these connections serve multiple households on each plot.

"LWC currently has 34,424 registered plot connections. Based on an average of 48 residents per plot, these connections serve approximately 1.65 million residents, around 8.3 percent of the State’s population of over 20 million," the statement said.

This clarification came after a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report quoted Rasaq Anifowoshe. He is the LWC’s deputy director of corporate affairs and brand management. He had said the corporation’s 34,424 registered connections served only 206,444 people, which is 1.03 percent of Lagos’ estimated 20 million residents.

LWC explained that its connections are based on plots and each plot serves multiple households. Using the average of 48 residents per plot, the corporation estimates that its network serves about 1.65 million people, or 8.3 percent of the state’s population.

The corporation also stated that no interview was authorized for the NAN report. But the earlier report had attributed the figures to Mr. Anifowoshe in an interview with NAN.

Even with the new coverage estimate, LWC admitted that its water production is still far below its capacity. The corporation said this shortfall is due to several challenges.

The statement read, "Lagos State’s installed water production capacity has the potential to serve a substantially larger proportion of the population. However, ageing infrastructure, power supply issues, and ongoing rehabilitation work continue to affect operational performance and the reliability of supply in some areas."

"We acknowledge that significant challenges remain in meeting the growing demand for water across Lagos State. Population growth and urban expansion require sustained investment in water production facilities, distribution infrastructure, operational efficiency, and long-term planning. Our focus is on strengthening infrastructure, improving operational performance, and expanding access to reliable and sustainable water services for residents across the State."

The corporation also said they welcome public scrutiny of their performance. They value accurate and transparent reporting. Discussions on water supply in Lagos should be based on a clear understanding of how the network operates, what the figures measure, and the work needed to meet demand.

In the NAN report, Mr. Anifowoshe said LWC has an installed production capacity of about 210 million gallons per day (MGD). He noted that the estimated daily demand across the state is 540 MGD.

He mentioned that LWC’s 2025 production records showed an average daily output of 7.21 million gallons, which is about three percent of its installed capacity. The corporation cited challenges like ageing infrastructure and power supply issues affecting the reliability of supply in some areas.

Many residents rely on boreholes and private water vendors for their daily needs. Some spend thousands of naira on water each month. Residents in places like Iponri, Oworonshoki, Costain, Apapa Road, and Ebute Metta reported irregular supply and non-functional public facilities.

Adebayo Solomon from Iponri Housing Estate said his household spends about N1,500 daily on water from vendors, which totals around N45,000 monthly. Amanda Ogbodo from Oworonshoki said she spends between N2,200 and N3,600 weekly on vendor-supplied borehole water. She noted that while supply from LWC has improved in parts of her area, it is still unreliable for homes on higher ground.

Other residents told NAN that failed public water facilities have forced them to depend on private sources. LWC has plans to rehabilitate and upgrade micro and mini water treatment plants. They also aim to extend their distribution network and improve infrastructure monitoring to reduce water losses.

In the earlier report, Mr. Anifowoshe said the rehabilitation of the treatment plants is expected to make water accessible to over 5.6 million households when completed. He also mentioned the proposed Igbonla 100 MGD water treatment plant, which he said would increase supply along the Lekki-Epe corridor.

The corporation has also announced plans to rehabilitate Ojokoro Mini Waterworks and build Lagos Island Micro Waterworks.

NAN reported that the Lagos State Government’s second-quarter 2026 budget implementation report showed that 36.2 percent of the approved annual budget for improving 15 existing mini and micro waterworks had been spent as of June 30. Expenditure on the Adiyan Phase II Waterworks project stands at four percent of its approved annual budget.

These budget figures show spending but do not indicate the completion status of the projects or how much water they currently supply. LWC said it remains committed to improving water supply across the state.

For residents who rely on private vendors, the big question is whether the planned projects will lead to a more reliable public water supply.