Ekiti Seeks Partnership with Lagos Water Corporation to Drive Water Sector Reforms and Infrastructure Modernisation

The Ekiti State Water and Sewerage Company (EKSWSC) has identified the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) as a benchmark for innovation and sustainable water management, expressing interest in forging a strategic partnership to strengthen water infrastructure, improve service delivery, and accelerate reforms in Ekiti State. The move underscores growing collaboration among state-owned water utilities as they seek modern solutions to address aging infrastructure, water losses, and increasing demand for reliable public water supply.

The Ekiti State Water and Sewerage Company has commended the Lagos Water Corporation for its ongoing transformation of urban water management, describing the Corporation's reform agenda as a practical model that could support similar improvements across Nigeria's water sector.

The commendation came during a courtesy visit by the Ekiti delegation to the Lagos Water Corporation headquarters in Ijora, where both organisations explored opportunities for technical collaboration, knowledge exchange, and institutional partnerships. The engagement focused on identifying innovative approaches capable of improving operational efficiency, strengthening infrastructure management, and expanding access to sustainable water services.

Welcoming the delegation, the Managing Director of Lagos Water Corporation, Engr. Mukhtaar Tijani, described the visit as an opportunity to deepen professional cooperation between state water agencies while encouraging the exchange of practical solutions to common challenges affecting public water utilities nationwide. According to him, collaboration among state-owned water corporations remains essential for building resilient institutions capable of delivering reliable and sustainable water services to growing populations.

The Ekiti delegation explained that its visit was largely inspired by Lagos Water Corporation's ongoing Pipeline Assessment Programme, particularly its deployment of advanced crawler robotic technology to inspect underground transmission pipelines. Officials noted that the technology enables engineers to detect structural defects, identify leakages, minimise physical water losses, and reduce Non-Revenue Water (NRW), thereby improving operational efficiency without extensive excavation.

During the technical sessions, officials of the Lagos Water Corporation presented details of the organisation's Strategic Business Plan (2025–2030), outlining ongoing reforms aimed at modernising water infrastructure and strengthening institutional performance. The presentation highlighted major initiatives including rehabilitation of water treatment plants, expansion of transmission and distribution networks, operational efficiency improvements, enhanced customer service, stronger financial sustainability, increased community engagement, and the promotion of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to expand access to potable water. Participants also received demonstrations of the Corporation's Pipeline Integrity Assessment Project, which utilises robotic inspection systems to evaluate the condition of ageing pipelines, detect hidden faults, and generate engineering data that supports evidence-based investment decisions.

In addition, Lagos Water Corporation showcased its Geographic Information System (GIS), a digital asset management platform that provides real-time mapping and monitoring of pipelines, reservoirs, pumps, hydrants, valves, customer connections, and maintenance records. The digital platform enables engineers and planners to make informed operational decisions while improving maintenance planning, infrastructure monitoring, and customer service delivery.

The discussions concluded with both organisations expressing optimism that closer institutional cooperation would accelerate innovation, strengthen technical capacity, and contribute to more sustainable water supply systems across Nigeria.

According to Engr. Mukhtaar Tijani, Managing Director of Lagos Water Corporation, stronger collaboration among water utilities is essential for addressing shared operational challenges and improving sustainable water service delivery across Nigeria.

The Ekiti State Water and Sewerage Company stated that Lagos Water Corporation's Pipeline Assessment Programme and crawler robotic inspection technology provide practical solutions for reducing water losses and modernising water infrastructure management.

Officials of Lagos Water Corporation explained that the Corporation's Strategic Business Plan (2025–2030) focuses on infrastructure rehabilitation, improved operational efficiency, financial sustainability, customer service enhancement, and expanded public-private partnerships.

The Corporation further noted that its Geographic Information System (GIS) has significantly improved infrastructure mapping, maintenance planning, engineering analysis, and overall operational decision-making.

Reliable water supply remains one of Nigeria's most significant public infrastructure challenges. Partnerships that enable states to share technology, expertise, and best practices can improve service delivery while reducing operational costs and infrastructure losses. The adoption of modern technologies such as robotic pipeline inspection and digital asset management also supports more efficient use of public resources and improves long-term infrastructure planning.

For residents of both Lagos and Ekiti States, stronger collaboration between water agencies could result in improved access to clean water, fewer supply disruptions, better maintenance of water infrastructure, and more efficient public utility services. For policymakers and development partners, the partnership demonstrates how inter-state cooperation can accelerate innovation without duplicating investments or institutional learning.

The Lagos Water Corporation has embarked on extensive institutional reforms aimed at improving water production, reducing Non-Revenue Water, modernising infrastructure, and introducing digital technologies into utility management. As urban populations continue to expand and climate-related pressures increase demand for sustainable water resources, several Nigerian states are exploring collaborative approaches to strengthen water governance, improve operational efficiency, and attract investment into the sector.

ℙℝ𝕆𝔾ℝ𝔼𝕊𝕊 𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎𝕊 𝕀ℕ𝕊𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕋𝕊

Nigeria's water sector requires more than infrastructure investment. It demands innovation, institutional learning, and sustained collaboration. Rather than developing reforms in isolation, partnerships between state water agencies can accelerate the adoption of proven technologies and reduce the cost of implementing modern utility management systems.

The Lagos-Ekiti collaboration reflects a growing recognition that digital tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), robotic pipeline inspections, and data-driven infrastructure planning are becoming essential for efficient water service delivery. If replicated across more states, such partnerships could strengthen water security, reduce losses from ageing infrastructure, improve public confidence in government utilities, and contribute to broader economic development through reliable access to clean water.