A civil society group, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has raised concerns over the lack of transparency surrounding a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Lagos State Government and the Belstar/ENKA consortium aimed at rehabilitating and expanding water infrastructure in the state.
In a statement signed by Robert Egbe, CAPPA’s Media and Communications Officer, the organization criticised the government for failing to disclose essential details of the deal, describing the entire process as opaque and exclusionary.
“While the government touts the MoU as a strategic step to enhance water supply, the scant information made public only raises more questions than it answers,” said Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of CAPPA.
Oluwafemi described the signing of the agreement behind closed doors without public or legislative input as “an affront to democratic accountability,” especially considering the critical role of water as a public good.
“This MoU, which will determine the future of water access for millions of Lagosians, appears to have been signed without public consultation or legislative scrutiny,” he said.
CAPPA raised several questions about the deal, including:
Who are the contractors and what are their corporate profiles?
What public procurement process led to their selection?
What specific projects are covered under the terms “rehabilitation and expansion”?
What is the total financial worth of the contract and how will it be funded?
Will the water infrastructure remain publicly owned or be privatised?
The group also expressed alarm over the involvement of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), citing past experiences of corporate influence in water sector partnerships.
“Are these entities merely building and handing over, or will they or other multinationals control the completed projects?” the group asked.
It further questioned the role of the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) in the project, pointing out that the government’s statement was unclear on whether LWC would maintain control or simply play an advisory role.
On the financial implications, CAPPA asked whether the project would be financed through loans or credit and whether repayment would lead to increased water tariffs for residents.
The group condemned what it described as a recurring pattern of government attempts to privatise water in the state, despite public opposition and global evidence of the adverse effects of public-private partnerships in water delivery.
“The path to water resilience for Lagos must not be dictated by corporate interests,” the statement read.
CAPPA called on the Lagos State Government to immediately:
1. Publish the full text of the MoU, including annexes, financial details, and timelines;
2. Organise a public stakeholder forum with civil society, labour, communities, and the media;
3. Halt all further moves toward water privatisation and commit to publicly owned and democratically controlled water systems.
The organisation insisted that the real solution to Lagos’ water challenges lies in reinvesting in public infrastructure, strengthening institutions, and ensuring open and participatory governance.
